


Broken Sparrow and his Angel

by ladysami



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Science, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Development, Dsyphoria, F/M, First Kiss, Lots of PTSD in this, Mutual Pining, On a hiatus until school ends, Psychological Trauma, Slow Burn, Tenderness, Thanks for your patience, This is canon divergent btw, fluffy fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-26
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-08-27 01:17:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 36,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8382298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladysami/pseuds/ladysami
Summary: Angela is assigned to her very first mission as a field doctor in Hanamura. Finding a badly wounded man on the ground, she had no idea how meeting him would change her life forever.





	1. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angela Ziegler's finds a badly wounded man on her very first mission as a field nurse. How will she feel when Overwatch wants to take him in and turn him into a super human weapon?

Family.  
It was always important to her. She was close to her mother and father. The days shared together in the open, grassy fields with clear blue skies were wonderful. Her little chubby feet running through the tall grass before finally being caught by her father, tickling her toes making her erupt into bubbly, happy laughter.

“P-Papa!!” Feet kicked his hands away, before he laughed along with her, stopping shortly. In German, he spoke softly to her, his working hands moving through her blond hair.

“Oh, Angela.. You mean the world to me.” Tenderly, he pressed a kiss to her forehead, her mother soon joining them, as they took turns holding their angel of a child.

***

Her hands ran shakily through the tangled, neon-green mess of this young man’s hair. How old could he have been? Perhaps seventeen? Eighteen? Too young. Couldn’t be any older she was. Almost nineteen years old. He was absolutely drenched with blood. Parts were crusty and sticking to his bruised skin, while other parts were bleeding out, torn and broken. He was coughing and babbling incoherent words as Angela kept him propped up, words that she could hear, let alone try to understand.

She kept him propped up against her, using what she had around apply pressure to his bleeding and torn body. She finally made eye contact with him, her fragile heart slowly breaking at what she saw. He was hurt, in so many different ways, but only one she could truly read and understand.

Betrayal.

She looked back to just a few hours before. It was supposed to be a simple mission; she was told by Commander Jack Morrison. She was to lay low while the other agents infiltrated the Shimada estate in Hanamura, Japan. Only take part in the action when someone got hurt. The someone that got hurt, was no one on her team. She wasn’t quite sure who see was helping right now.

She snapped back to reality when the stranger hacked up some blood, spluttering some of it onto her, making her wince She didn’t mind the splatter onto her torn clothing, what she did mind was the heart ache that followed suit. How could anyone do this to their family. Their brother?

Angela’s brows furrowed with worry as she looked down at him, trying her best to making her accented voice clear, not allowing it to waver with sadness and fear. “My team will be here soon. We will get you some place safe and help you..” She smiled just barely at him, her left hand moving to cup his face. She thumbed away some of the blood, sighing softly as she wondered how cruel someone could have been to do this to him. He tried to respond, but all that happened was another violent cough of blood, closer to her face. Fear overtook her, smile immediately dropping as she moved her hand back to his body, applying more pressure to the wounds that were bleeding out.

_Oh, for the love of God and all that is holy, where is help when you need it?_

The coughs began getting more and more violent, soon starting to lose much of the color in his face. Icy panic began to strike through Angela’s veins. Her head whipped down to look at him, her expression a mix of many emotions, but one stood out the most. Determination.

Forehead pressed against his, she looked deep into his dark, desperate eyes. Despite the shaky breath she let out before she spoke, her voice was stern and certain. “What is your name,” Angela started as she refused to break eye contact with him, feeling him shift against her. It felt like he was trying to get closer to her. Perhaps her presence in this moment was enough to bring him some comfort, though if she had to be honest with herself, things were looking pretty bleak.

“Tell me, I’d like to know.”

Genji’s eyes went wide for a split second, his hand, or at least what was left of it, moved to place it over hers. She felt his blood against hers, dripping and running down the sides of her fingers, her eyes starting to well up with tears when she heard him say this simple phrase in his raspy, thickly accented voice.

“My name is Shimada Genji.” He finally said, struggling to keep his eyes open to look at her. He cracked a small smile and it seemed like it was out of habit. As if people approached him often, ready and willing to meet the younger of the two handsomely, rich brothers. She had to admit though, it was admirable to see that even through all the turmoil he just experienced, he could still crack a sly smile. She gave him a small smile back, gathering a shaky breath as she moved her slender fingers through his hair once more. “Mr. Shimada,” She started, that small, yet breath-taking smile, wavering just a bit as her body knew she was about to press on a worrying topic. His life.

“I’m not going to let you die.” She finally exhaled, soon watching Genji’s face morph into worry, but then reassurance.

“I know you won’t.” The wounded man finally replied, squeezing her hand just slightly.

Numbness pricked at her every being when it did that. He had already put so much faith into her. Angela was scared to let him down, she did not want another poor life to die because of the hands of someone so cruel. Angela moved her hand down his chiseled face and away from him. She noticed his eyes were struggling to remain open. It was important to keep him focused and not let him slip into unconsciousness. “Mr. Shimada. How did this happen?” It was the question that was on her mind since the moment she found him. Who had done this to him.

He opened his mouth just barely, then spoke softly. Only someone as close as Angela was to him would hear every word coming out of his mouth.

“My father…he had pinned my brother and I against each other. The heir to fight the disgrace—” A violent cough erupted from him, cutting off what he was saying to the doctor. She gasped softly at the ferocity of it. He had to get help him help soon and fast. He finally calmed down and she couldn’t believe what she heard next.

“He is the one who did this to me. He left me here to die. My brother. Hanzo did not hold back.”

Her eyes grew wide with disbelief. For family to do that to one another. A father to demand his two sons to fight and see who would come out on top. It was shameful. It was disgusting. It… made her want to burst into tears. The comfort she sought out from her parents when she was young, before she lost them, was something Genji never seemed to have. She ran her hand through his hair in an effort to comfort him, tears threatening to spill over.

Then, a surprise, she heard wheels against the ground, all coming towards them. She turned her head to look over her shoulder, finally seeing her superiors and commanders arrive to her location to aid her with her hurt patient.

Commander Jack Morrison and Ana Amari busted out of the Overwatch vans and were running towards the both of them. Jack’s usual sharp and strict face was softened by worry, but the same could not be Ana. She looked furious, which sent chills right down to the base of her spine. They were accompanied with a few other agents, a few she has yet to be acquaintance with. They both stopped by her, kneeling down to face her, then they both looked at Genji.

His breathing was even more shallow than before, bright hair disheveled and some parts clinging to his skin by dried blood. Eyes tired and face pale, there was fresher blood on his neck and chest. His right forearm was gone, the bone wrapped in Angela’s medical shirt, (she was left in her uniform, bullet proof vest and all, holding the hurt man to her close) His left arm was mostly intact, aside from the broken, bloody fingers, bending in ways that shouldn’t be possible. Their eyes traveled down his body. His stomach was covered by Angela’s stressed, shaking hand applying as much pressure as she could. This only meant she was trying her best to stop the bleeding that was happening. His legs were bruised, the right broken, and his left thigh was two arrows stuck in it.

It was all made clear as to why Angela’s call was so urgent not too long ago.

“ _Well?_ ” She started at a sharp tone, “What are you doing just staring at him?! This poor man needs help!” Every part of her was shaking and they just nodded.  
Amari nodded, his head flicking to the right towards Genji as she looked at Jack. He walked around to scoop him up, Angela standing up suit to keep her hands on him. They walked together, Jack glancing at her briefly.

“He’s so light… How old can he possible be?” Morrison thought to himself as his brows furrowed a little. He glanced back to see Amari investigating the premises, realizing that she was incredibly close to the Shimada estate. Who was this young man? He had to be a Shimada. Was he the heir? No he couldn’t have been. He didn’t fit the description of him. The brother, he soon realized. The blond glanced over at her. Her small, fair hands remained on his stomach, continuing to apply pressure on his gaping wound. She let out a shaky sigh, her brows furrowing just a little more signaling Morrison to pick up the pace.

“This way!” Angela said, guiding her commander towards the medical vehicle she arrived in with her superior, climbing in through the back. She pushed up a medical bed and Morrison entered the back with the broken man, laying him on the bed gently. He looked towards Angela who gathered a deep breath, grabbing tools and supplies to momentarily stop whatever bleeding she could.

Backed up and out of her way, he simply watched before Amari joined them just outside. She watched just as intently as her commander did. Her hands were working quickly, only to be interrupted when her superior joined them.

His mouth opened, looking like he was about to speak before Angela interrupted him. “Please drive back to headquarters, right now!” Her voice was dripping with urgency, turning quickly to shoot him a pleading look. He only nodded in understanding, looking towards Morrison and Amari, speaking this time. “We will shall see you both later. Looks like we have a life to save.”

The both of them nodded, Amari walking back to guide the other agents to their own vehicles. Jack turned looking to follow his second in command but then stopped when he felt a foreign hand against his. The tall, blond turned back to look at her, seeing her eyes once filled with hope again.

“Thank you, Jack!” She smiled softly, squeezing his hand tightly. “He has a much better chance now.” The other stared back at her before smiling softly. “I’m just doing my job. Now go and do yours.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all liked. I'll be trying to pump out a chapter every week or two weeks. I'm in college studying chemistry so it might be hard, so patience is key. And of course thank you for stopping by and reading. Really appreciate it ♥
> 
> Also first chapters are always the shortest, I feel like, yeah? Next chapter will be much deeper, darker and longer. Angela won't be haaappppyyy. Neither will Genji tho. bUT ROMANCE IS COMING SOON ENOUGH I PROMISE.


	2. No Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angela is appalled with what Overwatch want to do with the patient she tries to save. Genji isn't happy about it either.

Darkness pooled around him everywhere. Standing alone in the middle of nowhere, he wasn’t entirely sure where he was. Each step he took filled the quiet atmosphere with his eerie sounds of walking through swallow water. Sploosh, splish, sploosh, splish… He finally came to a slow stop as he spotted someone familiar in the distance. Long raven hair, ends caught and tied into a very low ponytail. His stance was strong and concentrated, dressed in a navy blue yukata. A quiver was worn over his shoulder, holding several finely made arrowed inside.  
  
Genji smiled brightly when he realized who it was and made his way towards him. “Brother!” He started off in a cheery tone in his native language, before his pace was slowed by each step he was making towards him.

Numbness and pain crept up starting from his toes then to his legs. Two sharp pains into his thigh, making him start to limp with each step. He yelped in pain and pressed his hand over his stomach, feeling blood stain his clothing and then his skin. Blood ran down his face, dripped down his chin, crept slowly down his arms. Each drop staining the water before him before he finally couldn’t take the pain much longer, falling down by the feet of his brother.  
  
He looked up at him, brows furrowing when he saw that Hanzo still did not turn to look at him. “Brother…Hanzo…” He started, breath catching in his throat, panting and gasping for air he did not need as bad, barely even a minute ago. The other remained silent, only his arm moving to reach over and curl at the end of an arrow, slowly pulling it out and holding it to the bow in his left hand. He had finally turned around, tilting his head to look at his younger brother. His eyes were cold, bitter and blacker than they have ever looked before. He pulled the arrow back and aimed right to Genji’s head, who was visibly shaking it. “Hanzo, no!” He pleaded desperately, curling his left hand into the water (it was the only part of his body that wasn’t in great pain or numb) as he watched Hanzo. The arrow pointing towards him was only eight inches away from his face. A shot couldn’t be more clear. As if the other needed to be that close in the first place.

Hanzo’s only response was pulling back the nock of the arrow against the string, preparing to take the shot. Genji pleaded once more, tears welling in his eyes. “It doesn’t have to be this way, brother! Think of what we can do together. We can build a new empire together!” The other remained expressionless as he watched his younger brother’s tears stream down his face in agony. His perfect lips parted, finally, there was intention to speak.

“I have no brother. He died a long time ago. He was a disgrace. _A fool_.” His eyes grew wide then clenched shut, squeezing out the tears that laid rest in his eyes, looking down and watching them fall and mix with his blood. He looked back up to Hanzo, giving him one last look before the slender fingers that held the arrow back let go.

  
His eyes shot open, staring up at the clean, white ceiling above him. The numbing pain he felt before was back, but to a lesser degree. His eyes darted to the left and saw he was strapped to an IV drip and heart monitor. Then they darted to the right, seeing a table made for moving around cluttered with various tools that still have yet to be used. If anything, they look like they were freshly sanitized. He let out a soft sigh and looked back up at the ceiling, feeling his eyelids grow heavy again.

The only noise he heard that disrupted the static within the air was mumbling right outside the thick, glass window in front of him. His eyes slowly moved down to see what was occurring. It was her. The blond, hair up in a thick ponytail, arms flailing around. It took a lot of energy for him to squint at what was happening before him. Cheeks red, jaw clenched, hands and arms gesturing in a frustrated manner towards the three much older men in lab coats before her. They did not look happy with her, and she sure wasn’t happy with them. Genji wanted to know what was going on, but in all honesty, he was too tired and too much in pain to care. He let his eyelid slip closed, falling to sleep once again.

 

 ***

 

Angela Ziegler had just left Genji’s room, letting out a relieved sigh. She grabbed the clipboard that was in the plastic hold and wrote down some notes.

**Left arm, lost. Right and left lower legs, lost. In need of a new prosthetics. Three of five fingers broken on the right hand. Left thigh punctured by two arrows, one of which hit a major blood vessel. Right arm—**

She looked behind her shoulder when she felt a hand on top of it. Her superior, Dr. Blikman, had approached her. The man was about in his late 30s to early 40s. Black hair slicked back, the roots already starting to gray, a few creases on his forehead along with, crow’s feet just peaking at the corners of his eyes. He stared at her blankly before walking over to the bay window to spy on the sleeping patient. Angela watched him and just narrowed her eyes before setting the clipboard back where she got it before standing next to him.

“He’s going to make an outstanding recovery,” She started. “There isn’t much I have to do besides give him a prosthetic arm, and give him a few casts for what is broken. Thankfully there wasn’t any spinal cord damage—”  
  
“Dr. Ziegler.” Dr. Blikman interrupted her in a very terse manner, seeming to not care very much about what she had to say about Genji. “I was discussing matters with a few of my colleagues, including a few others…” He trailed off and Angela narrowed her eyes at that. Others? What the hell does that mean? “We all agree that you did good work, doing your job as a field doctor, bring in this wounded man to our highly advanced facilities for help. But from the report I gathered from Strike Commander Jack Morrison, this is Shimada Genji, the second son of the leader of the Shimada Yakuza Clan. Correct?”  
  
Angela swallowed thickly and nodded, not exactly sure where he was going with this. “Yes. That is Mr. Shimada, but—”

Interrupted once again, Dr. Blikman continued, “But, he was part of the Yakuza Clan. A murderous Japanese gang that profits off various means of illegal activity. Part of the discussions we had it that he could be used as a wonderful asset to Overwatch, for a price. We rebuild body with cybernetics. Why have just a highly advanced new arm when he can be utilized in so many more different ways. The price to pay in exchange for his right to live. It’s only fair. His family killed so many people.”  
  
Angela’s jaw dropped so far down it might as well have touched the floor. Were they crazy? She stared at him in disbelief, hand moving to brush her pale bangs behind her ear (only to have them fall right back where they were in the first place) as her superior stood there, waiting for her response. Her pretty fingers covered her eyes for a short matter of time and then slid down her face, looking down at the tiled floor as she gathered her thoughts on the matter. To build Mr. Shimada in a weapon for Overwatch. That’s what they were discussing…right? Taking a man that was bleeding to death on the ground and turn him into a cyborg killing machine. Her hands finally moved to back down to her sides and she looked back up at Dr. Blikman.

“To make what you are saying more clear, are you implying we use robotics and, quite possibly, nanobiology, to alter this man into a weapon for the organization I’m currently working for? Overwatch?”

He nodded. “Correct.”  
  
Her face flushed with anger and crossed her arms, staring up at the other. “I refuse to let you do that. This man already has already suffered so much by the hands of his own brother, which the trauma behind that must be excruciating! Never mind, the fact that the mere concept of exchanging his life for your gain, Overwatch’s gain, is incredibly disgusting!” She hissed out the last part, arms splayed out towards him as her cheeks grew hot with anger.

Dr. Blikman simply sighed and crossed his arms in distaste. “I knew you were the type to be difficult the moment I saw you were taken on to be one of our top surgeons. All that blabbering nonsense about wanting to save people ever since your parents they didn’t survive the First Omnic War.”

Did he just? Angela stared at him in disbelief once more, than quickly morphed into, an almost uncontrollable, rage. She took a deep breath, gritted her teeth and closed the gaps between her fingers as she moved them back towards her face, then pointing at him.

“Listen.” She began flatly, trying to control the utter disgust and anger she felt towards him right now. “We are doctors, surgeons and nurses so he can help and heal others. With the technology we have at our disposal right now that is more possible than ever. To use that technology to create a weapon out of someone that needed help, that we as doctors swear to help, is stupid and wrong.”

He just scoffed and smirked at her. “That’s not really for you to decide, Dr. Ziegler. You are not in a position to make the decisions for patients. You do your job. All we need is consent from Mr. Shimada and we will start getting to work on creating his cybernetic body. Including you.”  
  
“Me?!” She cried out, moving her hand to her chest, fully taken aback by what he just said.  
  
“Yes, _you._ Otherwise, you can forget about being a surgeon anymore and can be transferred to just doing medical research.” That shit-eating smirk just got wider as he crossed his arms. “By the way, how is the suit coming along? Rumor has it that your so-called Valkyrie suit isn’t fairing very well. So many failed prototypes. Now with your time being fully dedicated to medical research, I’m sure you will have so much more time to work on it. Am I correct?”  
  
She brought her hands back down to her sides, curling them into fists. Having no say in what her superiors do to Genji, she could just barely deal with. The mocking, well, she could not. She opened her mouth about to scream at him about his down-right disrespectful behavior before two more men, appeared from the corner of the hallway. They stopped right behind Dr. Blikman, carrying a few stacks of paperwork. They were two men she hadn’t seen before. Each looked like they were ten to fifteen years older than Dr. Blikman. The one on his left had thick but dark gray hair, facial hair styled to a short scruffy beard. His wrinkles were a lot more prominent than Blikman’s, thought the eye winkles were hide behind thick black framed glasses. He was also paler than most she’s seen, perhaps working extra hours and not getting the recommended vitamin D as most people should. The other was balding, not surprising to her, pretty common within many males. In an effort to conceal his dome, a lot of his hair was combed over to the side. His brows were knit together in slight irritation, as if he was itching to get this over with and clock out for the day.

  
“Dr. Ziegler. This is Dr. Doyle and Dr. Pinsky. They will be part of the team that will be rebuilding Genji’s body, and are surgeons that were sent from the United Nations. They are very skilled—”

Now it was her turn to do the interrupting.

“I cannot allow any of you to do this to Mr. Shimada! He just needed help. Is that what Overwatch plans to do to any others we save from danger? Force them to made into a tool for unnecessary violence?” Her voice wavered with pain, her arms crossing as she exhaled and looked away.  
  
Dr. Doyle adjusted his glasses before speaking in a remarkably smooth voice, nothing of which Angela expected. “We understand you do not agree with what the leaders and commanders of Overwatch want from Genji Shimada, but it is out of anyone’s hands. Especially yours. A decision has already been made, one I do not personally agree with either.” Angela looked up in slight relief that she wasn’t the only one that was appalled with the notion.

“All we need is consent from the patient and we will all get to work. Remember Angela. If you do not agree to operate on this man. You will be stripped of your position as a surgeon and work permanently as head of medical research. I may not have the jurisdiction to do it, but they do.” Dr. Blikman restated, smirking just slightly as he gestured towards the other two doctors. Angela scowled back at him, unhappy with how much he seemed to enjoy that she had no choice in the matter.

“Well then.”  Dr. Pinsky finally piped up. “Shall we confront Shimada then?”

***

Angela opened the door and walked into the private room Genji was given. He was sleeping soundly and she couldn’t help but smile softly at how peaceful he looked. It certainly was a nice change from seeing writhe him every time he coughed up blood. She resisted the urge to move her hand through his locks, since well, there were three grown men right behind her and that would probably dampen her reputation.  
  
“He’s sleeping. It wouldn’t be wise to wake him up.” Angela said softly as she looked to the others. She felt defeated. There was nothing she could do.

Dr. Blikman moved over to the other side of his bed, staring back at Angela blankly. “We do not have time for him to wake on his own.” He gently nudged Genji before he groaned in pain, his eyes creaking open slowly, seeing strangers all around him. Except for Angela. He glanced around the room to get a read on everyone, but the only person who was showing any type of emotion was Angela. He tried to sit up but only cried out in pain, making Angela run to his side and gently set her hands on his shoulders to keep him laid back.  
  
“Mr. Shimada, please! You are in no condition to be moving right now.”  
  
He looked at her then at the other doctor, all of whom continued to stare at him like there was a second head protruding from his shoulder. His bitterly thought to himself at how that might actually be better than what his brother had done.

“What is this all about— Why are they all here?”

Angela opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by Dr. Blikman. “Mr. Shimada. We are in a very tricky position. You aren’t like most people we help with our services. You are a criminal. Overwatch knows this well. Angela was on the mission to take down your gang as a field doctor, you are very lucky she found you. You wouldn’t be a part of a glorious opportunity to be an asset to Overwatch.”  
  
“I also wouldn’t be alive.” Genji stated so matter-of-factly, his brows drawing together as he glared at the other. “I am no criminal. I did not partake in the activities my father conducted.”  
  
Blikman paced around the room before continuing to speak. “As far as proof goes, we cannot confirm nor deny that. Nonetheless, you are still part of a powerful crime group. Many of my colleges and leaders agree there should be a price for us having to use our technologies and heal your broken body. In exchange for you not becoming crippled, or even dying…” His eyes move down to his bandaged up stomach Angela had yet to operate on in the short time she had before requesting help of other surgeons, “We offer in exchange that we build your body from cybernetics and you will be used as a powerful tool in the fight against rebels, omnic and human.”

Genji’s eyes grew wide with shock and confusion, before quickly morphing to unbridled rage. “Excuse me, _what?_ ”

“Was I not clear enough?” The doctor asked, his tone being mocking at best.  
  
“Oh no you were clear enough, thank you. But I just want to make sure that you actually think that it’s such an _‘opportunity’_   for me to be mangled at the hands of my own brother. Which, _hmmm…_ let me guess, and only judging by your disgusting tone, doctor, that you do.” He turned his head to face Angela who remained silent. “What are your thoughts on this? Do not tell me you are for it.”  
  
“Of course I’m not!” She was so quick to say, her hands resting on her chest. “Mr. Shimada, I would never have wanted this from you.”  
  
“How am I supposed to believe you? Isn’t Overwatch known for helping people? Where the hell even am!? Am I even in Japan anymore? How far from home am I?”  
  
“You are here in the headquarters in Switzerland… I was going to transport you to a hospital in Hanamura and operate there, but my commander got word that I was to operate on you here.” Angela said, hands moving to smooth down her lab coat, a fresh one she got after she arrived back. “So we took a jet here and just recently I bandaged up your stomach.”

“So they were planning this before you even decided to put any sort of cast on my fingers. I bet they wouldn’t let you operate on me either until they all knew that I was at least in good enough shape so they can play God and alter me the way they want. A tool. A machine for violence.” Genji spat as he glared at all of them.

“Mr. Shimada, I swear I never intended on doing anything but help you… I had plans to just give you a new cybernetic prosthetic—I began writing my report and—“  
  
Dr. Pinsky was the one that spoke up and interrupted Angela this time. “And those plans were compromised for something that was a lot more favorable for the organization, Mr. Shimada. What would you think was going to happen anyway? You would go back to Japan go to the gang that nearly killed you. Where would you go? Stay here. With Overwatch. You will save people that were suffering at the hands of others just like you were.”

They all watched as they watched his face morph from disgust to realization. They were right. He had no home after what had happened to do. He either died or survived long enough to be banished from the estate, then die somewhere. Quiet. Alone. With no one. If he were to go out on his own, he would be in a state of immense struggle. It would take a while to get back on his feet from what had just happened. His brows furrowed as he looked up at the four of them that were standing in front of him, waiting for an answer. He finally had one.

“What pains me is that you are right.” He gritted his teeth at the dissatisfaction at admitting that simple fact. “I have a few conditions.”  
  
“Name them.” Stated Dr. Blikman, clearly interested in what he could possibly want.

“First. However long this operation takes, I want my first mission to be back to Hanamura, will I will disband my father’s clan and retrieve what is rightfully mine. My sword. Passed down to me by many generations. Second, I expect free room and board for you,” He spat out the word that brought him such disgust, “utilizing my body for your experiments.”  
  
“Mr. Shimada, no… you mustn’t agree to their terms. There has to be at least something…” She trailed off as she tried to think of the options that were open to Genji being brought back to full health and being a free man. Nothing was coming to mind.

He turned to glare at her, not feeling particularly merciful at the moment. Not that it was any of her fault. It wasn’t like she openly brought up the idea to turn him into a robot fighting machine for the use of an organization that wasn’t as good as they set to look. “Well I don’t necessarily have a choice now do I? It’s either become a pawn for Overwatch or die when these loving doctors pull the plug on me.”

“I-I’m sorry…” Angela finally stuttered out, her hands curling into her lab coat, trying to bite back tears as hard as she could. “I…I just wanted to help you, Mr. Shimada…I n-never…I never intended for this to happen.”

His brows furrowed slightly as he watched her, now feeling regret for snapping at her like he did. It took a while, but he finally believed she had no part of this decision. His shoulders relaxed and he looked down to stare at the ground beneath him, a silence settling between everyone in the room. It was only cut when Dr. Blikman clapped his hands in satisfaction, causing all eyes to land on him once he did so. He gestured towards the other doctors to hand him the paperwork, looking towards Genji and his thumbs flicks through the corners.

“So Mr. Shimada. There’s quite a few things we need to go over, such as the dangers that this can ensure, etc, etc. But we are experts at this point and we have had several experiments go through with fly colors. Your case won’t be any different. So the three of us will take the time to go over these with you and answer any questions you might have about the process. As for Dr. Ziegler, she will only be part of the process when it time to operate. It’s too against her moral compass, something like that.” He just barely rolled his eyes, in fact it was almost unnoticeable. Genji just narrowed his eyes at the other as he continued on with his mindless grovel.

He only stopped to look up at Angela. “You are dismissed now Angela. We will carry out the operation later tonight. Are you fine with that?”  
  
She simply sighed and turned away. “Whatever allows me to keep helping people.” Then she left the room. Genji watched as she left with shoulders slumped, passing by the window he barely just caught her wiping at her eyes and curling in on herself.

 

Hours later, he was set on an operating table. Foreign hands poking and prodding at his body with gloved fingers. Genji was sure that the expression on his face was constantly morphing from irritation, to disgust and then pain whenever they poked somewhere that was too near the trouble areas (which were more or less his wounds and broken bones). It certainly didn’t help overhearing the stupid conversations along with the blinding light above him that threatened to take his sight at any moment.

He heard the door open and then close, people greeting the new person that had just entered. The youngest and quite possibly most talented surgeon, Angela Ziegler, had finally joined them. She was the last to enter the operating room. The sound that Genji had grown to despise was the act of the several medical professionals strapping on latex gloves. Yet, he didn’t get bothered when Angela was the last one of the night to do it. Oddly enough, it was comforting. Brought him back to when she was holding him in his arms and applying pressure to his stomach. If he were to trust anyone operating on him, it would be her. You cannot fake that level of care and empathy.

She finally put on her cap and medicinal mask, walking over to the others that were crowding Genji. It was time to get to work. The other doctor he recognized was Dr. Blikman, who brought over the anesthetic and respirator mask, pulling back the strap and lifting up Genji’s head. It was now on his face and with slight adjustment, he was beginning to inhale the vapors that was slowly released into the mask. His eyes slipped closed but then shot open when he felt a foreign hand move through his hair. He looked up and saw that it was Angela, looking down at him with pained, blue eyes, thumb gently rubbing his forehead every time it pulled back to move through his hair once more. He stared back at her with worried, warm brown for a small moment before slipping them closed again.

 _“I’m here, Genji.”_ Was the last thing he heard before slipping into unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pumped out a chapter today. I've never used Ao3 before so if things seem out of place I'm getting the hang of things. Also reason as to why I pumped this out right after Chap 1 was because I already had chapter 1 sitting in word for a while so I thought I would take the thoughts I had on Chap 2 for the last four days and pump it out!!! Hope you like.


	3. Different Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not to happy with waking up to seeing himself so different, Angela thinks that Genji spending time with one of her closest friends might do the trick to help him feel better.

Slowly, his eyes cracked open to look at the ceiling above him. It was a familiar sight, one he felt like he was going to see often. Although he felt odd. Cloudy and slightly numb, perhaps medication, but the feeling was everywhere. Gently, he tried to flex his fingers, noticing that they weren’t broken anymore but there was something surrounding the flesh. He brought his hand close to his face so he could look closely at what he was getting a feel for.

His eyes widened at the sight. A coating around his skin that resembled a sort of muscle. What the hell was it made out of? Could he take it off? He moved his hand to his mouth, sort of picking at the coating with the teeth, noticing he couldn’t get a reasonable grip on it. His eyes grazed down his chest, finding himself wearing what seemed to be a skin tight suit. A necessary item to cover up what they have yet to finish working on. Bringing his head back up to stare at the wall, that was when he noticed while moving neck slightly, he felt a more rigid structure covering his neck. The right hand soon grazed the material. It felt much more metallic and attached. He forced himself to move away the covered with the metal, finding the same with his lower legs. That was when the panic started to bubble and rise in his chest. He shot himself out of bed, struggling to stand on the new appendages that were built for him. His strange hands curled into the frame of the bed, soon getting the hang of his new body parts. Getting back to the task of hand, he looked around the room to see if he could find a mirror, if any.

Scrambling around the room he couldn’t find anything. The panic settled, but then boiled into frustration, his arms moving to push the medical supplies off of the utility cart, glass shattering, metal tools scraping and sliding against the clean floors as he propped his hands down onto the edges of the cart to keep himself steady. Panting, he stared down at his two arms, slowly, shakily, straightening his back so he can look at them both. His left was pure metal, looking more like an exoskeleton, compared to his right, which looked like he had a second skin. They weren’t done with him, he soon realized. This was just the first step. He curled both his fists, the prosthetic he found to be incredibly easy to control, and slammed them against the utility cart.

“What did you do to me… _What did you bastards to do me?!_ ” He couldn’t stop himself. Powerful legs kicked over the cart, then his metal and fleshy fingers curled around the iv stand before throwing it through the glass window, shattering it in all its glory. Distant shrills and screams to be heard throughout the halls, which he ignored.

Genji then moved his hands to his neck, patting the foreign material once more before moving them down his chest, back to trace his sides and hips before getting a better look at his legs. It was no different. It was no different than looking at his hand. Practically covered from head to toe in god knows what.

He snapped.  
  
His hands moved to curl into his eye-catching locks and letting out a violent scream, dropping to his knees, curling in on himself. It echoed through the halls, so loud that he couldn’t hear the footsteps running towards his room. A taller, burly man burst through the door, seeing Genji kneeling onto the floor, clinging onto his vivid hair. His amber eyes looked at all the chaos, brows soon furrowing with concern.

“Hey now, no need fer all that—“

“Get away. _Get away from me_ ,” Genji, spat out as he wrapped his arms around himself, still curled towards the tile. Heat burned at the back of his eyes as he choked out a sob, tears streaming down his face. The stranger had only gotten closer to him, kneeling down in an effort to comfort him. His felt his hand rub up and down his back, contact the other was not used to and he weakly pushed him away.  
  
More people ran to his room, from doctors to other agents he couldn’t hope to recognizing before Angela finally pushed through the crowd, her cheeks flushed from rushing down the halls, looking over the two men. Jesse McCree was the first to try to comfort the sobbing mess that was Genji Shimada. Her heart wrenched at the sight, eyes moving to look at Jesse who clearly felt the same. She took a deep breath and moved to close the door, pushing the others out of the room, dodging the persistent questions Genji no doubt heard. What happened? What’s wrong? Is he crazy causing this much damage? What were you thinking bringing a criminal like this to our base? The door had shut and she kneeled beside the two men, her hand moving through Genji’s hair.

She didn’t know why but she was so incredibly fond of his hair. Perhaps it was the way it was always so soft and smooth, or maybe even the color? When she did that, he slowly looked up at her, tears streaming down his face, dropping onto the floor beneath them. Her brows furrowed slightly before she brought her fingers to his face, gently brushing away the tears with her finger tips.

“What did they do to me…?” He finally asked softly, voice slightly rasped. “Y-You were there.”

“Not for all of it...” Angela replied, his fingers moving down to take his cybernetic exoskeleton of his left arm. “I operated your wounds. Then I had built your arm and attached it to your body. That was all I was responsible for before I was told to leave, for the rest of your operation was top secret. Orders by the United Nations. Doctors they had sent over took control of the rest of the operation and they are not done, I am afraid. But that is all I know.”

“I l-look like a freak...” Genji muttered, his hands curling into fists. In the span of two days. Everything was taken away from him. He had never felt more alone.

“No ya don’t pardner..” Said the stranger, causing Genji to turn his head and look at him, puzzled at how he could think that. He was a few steps away from becoming an omnic. “Ya look fine. I think the best thing ‘bout ya is that hair though.” He said, giving him a quick wink before laughing heartily. “But nah, y’look ‘bout as normal as the rest of us, shoot, even better.”

Genji eyed him over before scoffing slightly at hearing his southern twang again (even though what he said did make him feel better), a small smirk tugging at his lips. “Of course I’m going to look better than some outdated cowboy. Did you dig up that hat from some grave in the middle of the desert?” That had Angela grin and burst out into laughter at the sight of Jesse McCree, jaw slacked in surprise.

“Now that ain’t fair one bit!” He grinned and laughed softly before reaching out his own hand towards Genji. “But yer lucky I’m a good sport. Name’s McCree, Jesse McCree.”

“Genji Shimada.” He replied, taking his hand with his right before giving it a shake. He turned his head towards Angela next, brows raised curiously. “You know, I never got your name either. All I know is that you are Dr. Ziegler.”

Angela smiled softly, soon standing up with the both of them, her hands brushing down the both of them. “My name is Angela.” She finally said, looking up at him with a small smiled curled on her lips, dimples and all, with her blue eyes bright and filled with hope. 

“It is nice to officially meet you. I really appreciate it you, for all you’ve done. You are not like the others. You care. Thank you.” He said, giving her a soft smile.

“O-Of course...! Just doing what is right.” She stammered at the appreciation he showed for her. Nervously moving her hand to tuck her bangs behind her ear, she opened her mouth to say something else until she saw Jesse nudge him with his elbow excitedly. Genji looked away to grin at the other, Angela’s hands returning to her sides as she watched their new companion ship bloom.

 “C’mon, pardner. Lemme show ya ‘round.” Jesse offered, grinning at him wide, thumbs jamming into his pants pockets.

Angela grinned widely at the notion Jesse had brought up. That would be sure to make him feel at least a little better. Time spent with Jesse McCree always pulled her up from feeling down. “I think that’s a great idea Jesse. You can even show him his room. Gabriel should have the papers knowing that information.”

“Great!” He grinned and tipped his hat to her before wrapping his arm around Genji, beginning to pull him along only to find him quickly dodge out of his grip and walk back to Angela.

“No—!” He found himself taking a few steps back, shaking his head. "N-No... no, no, no... I refuse to let anyone see me like this. I don't even want you to see me like this Mr. McCree—" He would say the same about Angela but she that line had been crossed a long time ago. He returned to bed, finding himself shaking under the covers. 

"Aw pardner c'mon now—" Jesse made his way to the edge of his bed, only to bed stopped by Angela herself, shaking her head. She pulled him away from Genji and towards the door frame of the room.  

She inhaled and put her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Jesse he's very uncomfortable. I do not think it would be wise to just take him out of bed and throw him into a situation he doesn't want to be in. We want him to feel welcomed." 

The cowboy slowly nodded his head in understanding, eyeing over Genji as he remained in his bed. It was a sad sight if he ever saw one. The cyborg just staring down at his lap and then hands. He looked at the other solemnly before he turned to look back at Angela. Her were brows furrowed and usual smile not present as she was perfect image of worry. "'Suppose yer right, Angie. A lot of the other members won't be as open minded as we are. Tell you what, I'll head down to the cafeteria and get Genji some food. Poor boy must be hungry, yeah?"

He almost sighed in relief as her smile returned to her face, joyously agreeing with him. "Aw Jesse, that's a great idea! I think he would really appreciate it."

"I think so too." He smiled back at the other, nudging her gently. "Also thank the lord because I thought I was goin' to hafta start worryin' about you too. You worry too much."

She huffed and pushed him out of the door, making the cowboy whine and squirm. "I worry because it's my job. Besides..." She looked back at Genji, frowning a little before back at Jesse. "I know he's suffering. I just want to help him. But I don't know how I can..."

"Aw Angie..." He watched her curl in on herself, hands curling into her lab coat as her shoulders shook. Oh no. Not that. "Angela— No please don't do that— C'mon don't cry."

"It's all my fault, Jesse. If only I didn't find him, Overwatch wouldn't have turned him into a weapon. Someone else could have done something more for him—"

Jesse looked up at Genji one last time. He saw that the other was focusing too much on his current modifications to notice their conversation. Good. He gripped Angela's shoulders and pulled her out of the medical room, feeling droplets of salt hit his arm. 

She was crying. Her eyes were clenched shut. Her bottom lip was quivering. He felt her shake within his hands. It was a sight that could break anyone and Jesse could feel his heart sink from just looking at her. 

"Angela that ain't true. If you didn't find Genji he could have died out there and I bet he's plum grateful that he ain't dead right now. And this ain't yer fault. You wanted to help him from the start and Overwatch was like: 'Well fuck why should we offer services to him for free when we could get somethin' outta it,'" Jesse looked down to see that the doctor's tears has stopped, but her lip was still worrying ever so slightly. 

"It ain't yer fault that Overwatch decided to come in and fuck you both over. A'right?" He paused and shook her slightly, light laughter spilling out from her. "Say a'right with me, dammit, doc!" 

She laughed some more, warming Jesse to his core. Angela moved her hands to wipe the stray tears from her eyes, nodding at him. "Alright." 

"Good. Now go and keep Genji company. I'm going to grab some food for him. And for you too. When was the last time you ate anythin', sugar?" 

"Oh well..." She started off, trailing off before she returned back into the room, leaving Jesse standing alone in the hallway. 

He laughed out loud, hands over his stomach. "Yeah, that's what I thought!" He grinned and quickly made his way to the cafeteria. 

Meanwhile, Angela returned to Genji's side, her hands moving through his hair. "Jesse is going to return with our food shortly." She began, her hand moving away so she can gently brush off his medical gown. He looked up at her, expression sad yet content. She felt herself flush from embarrassment, taking her hands away immediately before walking to the other side of the medical room. It was a mess. There was broken glass everywhere. She was grateful she was not wearing any sandals right now. 

"I'm sorry for the mess..." She heard Genji start off before her eyes returned to his figure. Her brows furrowed slightly before rolling one of the chairs to his bedside, sitting down next to him. They met each other's eyes before Angela smiled at the other, drawing what seemed to be shock out of the other. 

Her hand moved to rub his right arm, the only arm that wasn't in need of a new prosthetic, in a comforting manner. "I know you are upset about this new development, but don't worry about the mess. I understand. And they will too." Or at least she hoped they would.  

Genji's brows knitted together in anger and nodded. "What are the plans for my body..." 

She felt her eyes grow a little wide before standing up from her seat to grab the clipboard, resting in it's holder on Genji's bed. She flipped through several of the pages before finding the blueprint of the construction of his new body. Her eyes studied the new information, knowing he probably would not be happy with it, but they both knew it could not be helped. He had agreed to the cyberization of his body. "Lets see here..." She began, clearing her throat before she could talk anymore. "It looks like the limbs that have an exoskelton-like structure will act as the bones for the new muscle-like substance will attach to your body. The notches in your shoulders were made to allow circulation for oxygen and carbon dioxide. It says here that your spinal cord was damaged and that is why there is plating there and on your neck. It's to allow you to move. It also reaches up to your head and those are for a helmet and face plate attachment for added protected. Plating on your stomach and lower chest that well remain there since the wounds there were absolutely fatal but they managed to work a way around it. And the coating on your skin seems to cover everything else besides your genitalia." She flipped to the next page and smiled. "But it says here that you will be getting clothes made just for you and your enhanced body so...that's good!" 

Genji said nothing. He simply stared stared down at the sheets. Motionless. 

"Genji...?" Angela asked, a sinking feeling in her stomach began to make itself know as she watched Genji. Her hand reached over to his head again but quickly pulled it away once she saw the other turn to look at her. 

"Thanks for telling me all that Angela. Do you know if this coating will...or at least can be removed?" 

She shook her head sadly. "Unfortunately, I do not Genji." Her hands quickly flipped through a few more pages before she smiled. "It seems your next operation will be within the next week. So you can ask them!" She smiled encouragingly, only to have him look down at his covers again. 

"I don't think I'll even remember if it's that far away." He said flatly. His dark eyes stared at the way the sheets covered his legs. Thin and skeletal with no substance to them. Not yet anyway. He was surprised he could even stand up on them, but they were not bone. They were metal. They were not flesh. Not anymore. 

Angela returned the clipboard back to it's proper place, sitting down within her seat again. It wasn't long before some workers stopped by the medical room to clean up glass and broken equipment. Sounds of sweeping filled the room and it was nothing more than grating to his ears, anger boiling within him. 

"Dr. Zeigler." The formality rung through Genji's ears, calming him down.

Angela turned to look at the man before smiling. "Yes, how can I help you?" 

"A new window won't installed until tomorrow afternoon. Is that okay with you?" 

The doctor just nodded and smiled. "Just have the old, broken one taken out. Oh, and do be careful. I don't want any of you getting hurt while handling the broken glass." 

"Will do, ma'am." 

Genji watched as they all took apart the window. How shameful it was for him to through a fit like that. It didn't take long before the mess was gone along with the workers, leaving him alone with Angela once again.

"I'm sorry." He found himself saying again.

"There is nothing you have to apologize for Genji." The doctor said as she smiled at him. "I already said that it was okay." 

"Is it okay? Is it really? I mean. I broke some equipment and the window and—" The cyborg silenced himself when he felt her comforting fingers through his hair again. He sighed softly and relaxed against the palm of her hand. 

"I said it's okay." She laughed smiling as she continued to stroke his hair comfortingly. 

He closed his eyes and let his mind wander to his home. Remembrances of his mother, before she had passed, spending time with him and his older brother under the cherry blossoms trees that grew in their estate. He remembered the way he laid against the soft grass, his head on his mother's lap as she gently moved her fingers through his hair, mumbling soft stories to him and Hanzo in Japanese. It was a happy time. A peaceful time. 

Genji opened his eyes when he felt Angela pull her hand away from his scalp, opening his mouth to protest only to see Jesse walk in with boxes of food for the both of them. 

"Jesse you're back!" Angela said happily, standing up to grab the food containers from him. "There isn't one for you, aren't you going to eat with us?" 

"I would but I ran into Reyes and he gave me shit for havin' more food than usual. Now I have to train" Jesse groaned a little at the thought of having to train overtime with Commander Reyes, causing his shoulders to slump. 

Angela smiled sadly and pressed a quick kiss to the cowboy's cheek, having the other jolt up with a smile on his face, his calloused hand rubbing the side of his face.

"That for good luck, doctor?!" 

She giggled and nodded. "Now don't let it go to waste." 

"Don't worry I won't letcha down, sugar!" Jesse grinned and pulled the doctor into a tight hug before running out of the medical room. Angela let out a soft laugh as she watched him scurry down the halls. She returned to her seat, handing one of the food boxes to Genji before opening her own. 

Genji felt uneasy watching that display between the two of them. Were they dating? His brows knit together in frustration at his own thoughts. Why did he even care was the question. It wasn't like Angela would be interested in him in a state like this. 

"Is something the matter, Genji?" Angela asked as she swirled some of the pasta on her fork. "You aren't eating." 

"O-Oh, yes...I mean no—I mean—" He looked back at her as his fingers twitched around the opening of his container. "Are you and Mr. McCree dating?" 

Angela let out a happy laughter, only furthering the churning he felt in his stomach. He wasn't sure whether to be worried or relieved with how she laughed at his question. She put down her fork and smiled softly at Genji. The anxiety he felt fluttered away, replaced with something else. Something he never felt before. 

"No, Jesse and I are not dating. And I think he would have you call him Jesse rather than Mr. McCree. He's not found of formalities." 

"Oh I see..." He said, before finally opening the box of food that was presented to him earlier. A roll of bread, salad, and some American macaroni and cheese. There was even a small plastic container with some cake. He couldn't help but smile softly at the small spread under him. It wasn't what he was used to, not by a long shot, but he wasn't home anymore. He appreciated that Jesse went all that way to get him food. His hands moved to try to unwrap the plastic from the fork, struggling just it with, no thanks to his left arm, before finally getting it. His right hand moved to grab the fork and fill it with some salad, stuffing the forkful into his mouth and chewing. He continued to chew and swallow, feeling something was a miss. He ate bite by bite, his brows furrowing slightly at the lack of flavor it felt from each bite. It was cold like he knew salad was supposed to be, and the lettuce and cabbage broke apart and released the water he knew they contained, but no grassy flavor. The acidity tomatoes had was barely there, the nuttiness and saltiness of the cheese wasn't registered by his taste buds. 

 _Perhaps it's just the salad_ , he thought, denying that it could be anything else. His hand moved the fork to the macaroni, filling it full before stuffing it into his mouth. It felt warm, the noddles were cooked fine too, soft and easy to chew. But there was no taste of the saltiness and sharpness that was cheddar. He swallowed and made a noise of distress, gathering Angela's attention onto him. 

"I c-can't taste any of it...I can't, I just d-do not understand..." He turned to look at Angela, tears welling up before they escaped down the corners and down his face. 

Angela scrambled do her feet and set the box down on the chair. "Are you sure? Open your mouth, please." 

Genji nodded and swallowed the remainder down before opening her mouth to her. He couldn't help but shudder when he felt the doctor grip his tongue and pull it further, looking away from her eyes as she inspected his tongue. 

"Everything looks normal—This is unprecedented, I don't know what they did I—" She pulled away from the other and around to grab the clipboard once more. Flipping through page by page, there was nothing she could find that explained the source of this predicament. 

"I don't know, Genji—" She pressed her hand against her forehead and sighed a little. "I do not know what happened I **—** " 

"This is all your fault..." He said, interrupting her, curling his hands into fists. 

"Wh-What?" 

"This is all your fault. I'm hideous and I can't even enjoy food anymore you should have let me die!" He cried, shoving the food away with his arm, hearing it fall and hit the floor. "I'm more machine than human and this is all _your_ fault."

"N-No...No...I was just trying—" 

"What you should have tried to do is leave me be and left me to die in my home in Hanamura, where I belong. Not a part of shitty organization that wants to toy with me, including you!" He shouted, finishing what he had to say. 

The doctor was shaking from head to toe, unable to look at Genji as she began to sob uncontrollably. His anger faded away when he realized what he had done and before he could say anything else, Angela ran out of the room, her arm covering her face. 

He hung his head in shame, his own tears staining the sheets beneath him. 

*** 

It was a day later. Angela was in her room changing into her clothes for the new day. As much as she had to leave, she didn't want to. Her hands shook with the anxiety that traveled through her veins as she thought back to the night before. To ease her nerves, she took a deep breath but nothing helped. The way Genji blamed her for his state, it shook her to her very core. She never intended that to happen to him. She wanted to help him without making him into a weapon. She never wanted to be responsible for his grief, she just wanted to save his life. That's why she became a doctor in the first place. To help others that needed it. He needed it.

Didn't he? 

She didn't want him to die. He didn't deserve to die. 

"Angela." Athena's synthetic voice rang through her communicator. Her head turned to her side table, gently walking to the other side to pick it up. 

"Yes, Athena?" She asked, curious as to why she's being contacted so early. 

"You have a video message from Agent Jesse McCree. Do you accept of deny this message." 

"I accept." 

"Very well." The robotic voice rang through her hears before it displayed the message. She saw Jesse laying down next to Genji in his medical bed. Her stomach sank slightly at sight, wishing Jesse didn't have to do this. She never got to tell him about what happened yesterday.

The cowboy just grinned in the recording as he looked at Genji. "Ready?" The other just nodded and he grinned. "Okay cool cause I started recording. A'right, a'right." Jesse tipped his cowboy hat and grinned. "Okay, Angela. I'm hanging out here with Genji and I just brought him some breakfast. A few doctors that worked on him came in and explained some weird stuff about his taste buds or whatever? I didn't know what to make of it but he wanted to say somethin' to you." 

Jesse angled the camera towards the cyborg who only shrank back against his pillow. He frowned a little as his right hand moved through his hair in an awkward manner. "I'm sorry, Angela." She saw him sight before he looked at the camera, making eye contact with him. 

"I didn't mean to say what I did yesterday. It was cruel and uncalled for and you did not deserve that. You have helped me in more ways than anyone else as. And what I said was untrue. I am glad you found me when you did. I am truly sorry." 

"Wait, what in tarnation did ya say?" Jesse asked, only to have it cut and end. 

Angela soon found herself smiling. The weight she felt on her shoulders was lifted and she laughed happily, brushing some of bangs behind her ear. Her fingers moved to save the video message. Putting her communicator away, she moved to put on her lab coat and leave her room, hoping to help Genji and other patients just the same today.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys hope you like the new chapter. Pretty cool to write Jesse doing his Blackwatch thing. More pleasant interactions are coming in the future. Thanks!
> 
> Edit: I rewrote this chapter because I found it to be one of the weakest chapters I've ever wrote and I did not like how I handled Genji finding out about his new body and what was wrong with it. I also didn't agree with my own headcanon. I also thought the whole stepping out and getting a tour of the facility immediately was a bit out there for someone that's struggling with his new form. So I hope the new chapter is better, I think it is.


	4. Everything Hurts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last of Genji's operations have finished, leaving him torn on how to feel about it all.

Days turned into weeks. It wasn’t long before he was taken into a much more advanced operating room. Operation after operation, scientists had scrambled and bickered around him for hours on end. Genji merely watched. Listened. He had nothing to offer. He just wanted the procedures to end. Some of them lasted mere minutes, a simple examination. Then others would hold him up for hours on end, like finally receiving his muscle attachments over his exoskeleton limbs and making sure his cybernetic skin was doing was it was supposed to. Keep everything working and stable. Everything felt cold. The fingers, the tools, even the damn room. The icy stares he got like they were examining a rat. Modifications that would advance the medical field. Do plenty for the greater good.

No one ever asked what was on his mind. What he had to say or think about all the bullshit that was happening to him.

No. They just wanted to see their toy in action. See the cyborg they worked so hard on perform a field mission already once this was all said and done. The mere thought of it boiled his blood so bad, it heated up the pit of his stomach, and of course, draw out the cold glares that would combat that who tried to destroy him.

Half of the time he tuned out what they had to say. Mindless drabble and information was spat at him constantly, talking at a mile a minute, losing Genji immediately. Lips moved but all he heard was static, a broadcast that was failing to reach him and was never going to reach him.

There he was, being pushed around on a medical bed as metallic doors opened for them to pass. One, two, three… and then finally Genji has reached his destination.  
  
“In there.” Instructed the doctor. He got up and walked into the glass chamber, watching many hands attach wires and devices to his body. Mumbles were heard and the scribbling of pens and pencils were heard much too often for him to stand much longer. He was brought back to reality when he felt a surgical mask was snapped onto his mouth and nose, oxygen hissing through the long tubes. His face scrunched into a scowl and when he tilted his head up to glare at the person who had done that, the door was shut right in his face. All the noises he was hearing, from buttons being pushed, levers being cranked and beeping from the monitors, it all morphed into white static noise, losing all trains of thought as he stared off into space. He flinched and fell back into reality when he heard felt liquid touch his feet, looking around the surface of the glass to see a green, gelatinous ooze began filling his chamber.

It wasn’t much longer until the chamber filled full. He was covered from head to toe, the unknown substance was cooling to the skin, flesh and fake. Feeling relaxed for the first time in a while, he sighed, watching as it fog up the mask. It was incredible. The stiffness he felt from being so sessile lately melted away. A soft sigh escaped his lips once more before looking out to the scene in front of him. Strangers walked left and right, monitoring his body and behavior. His brows furrowed from slowly building irritation before he decided to be done with it all and close his eyes, thanking some deity for the small miracle he was given just now.

It didn’t take long for Genji’s mind to wander and mull over the events that have happened within the past few weeks. He was seeing a different doctor nearly every day. Specialists examining and reprogramming his cybernetics to make his movement fluid, his body strong and alive, his senses intact and, more than anything, all of the technology working together flawlessly like a well-oiled machine operating at full capacity.

He opened his eyes and looked throughout his body. Nearly every square inch was synthetic, hiding the real him underneath, excluding his arm and parts of his lower legs that were gone. That was all cybernetic. Metal was embedded into him at some joints, metal made up the “bone” of synthetic arm, and it was metal that plated his spine, among other important parts of his body. There was so little that was separating him from being classified as an omnic.

He despised it.

Bitterness bubbled up hotly in the pit of his stomach, spreading through every vein and blood vesicle in his body. An icy fire that spread through his body at the sudden rush of emotion that he couldn’t stop, no matter how hard he tried.

_I don’t deserve this. I want to be me again. This isn’t me. I’m not a tool. I’m not a weapon, my name is Genji Shimada I—_

He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a soft thud against the glass. He focused his eyes to find what was the source of that noise before finding himself eye-to-eyes with Angela Ziegler. She was looking straight at him, soft and worried. Her eyes grew a little wider when she realized that Genji was staring back at her. Soon she broke that gaze, looking away immediately, her hands still promptly on the glass, surely marking it with her own fingerprints. Genji, huffed softly against his mask, his own hand pressing against the glass were hers were. Blond hair, that wasn’t normally let down but was, bounced gently as she looked back at him. Soft pink lips began to move, a message that never reached him thanks to the glass and ooze around him. The sweet, saccharine Swiss accent was lost within the white noise making him shake his head. She realized he could not hear her and frowned, turning and walking away from him.

He watched her blankly as he approached her work station, constructing what looked like a suit, or battle armor? Whatever it was, it looked like she was building it for herself.

Before he could even realize it, a release of anesthetic traveling down the plastic tubes and into the mask, keeping the goo out and air in, forcing the other to do nothing but breath it in. No matter how much he did not want that. He found himself pressing both against the glass, watching Angela talk and move her hands around before his vision gave, darkness pooling around him.

Hours later, he awoke to the sound of the ooze being drained from his chamber. His eyes creaked open, swearing under his breath at the light peering through his eyelashes. Once every ounce of the strange liquid was drained, the glass door slide open, setting him free. Instinctively putting a foot out to take a step outside, like a baby deer going out into the world, he was stopped. Hands moved over to pull of the wires and tubes away, then lastly the mask, a feeling that filled the other with immense satisfaction.

Dr. Blikman approached him with a sweet smile that was too fake to be real. He held out his hands with an article of clothing and Genji just gave him a stare before taking it reluctantly. Before he time to examine it, his attention was drawn back to the doctor when he felt two hands on his shoulders.

“We’re all done Mr. Shimada. You are now a fully-fledged member of Overwatch. Healed and ready to fight.” On top of the clothing, he placed a visor and helmet onto his hands. Genji tilted his head curiously as he examined the, most likely carbon fiber, attachments that were meant for his body. It didn’t take long before he received an explanation of how useful they would be in keeping his identity a secret when going undercover for a mission. While listening, he eyes glanced over to a mirror that was hanging near the operating tables.

Panic feel down his spine, anxiety churned his stomach and his eyes grew wide. He could finally look at the damage that had been done. There wasn’t a chance to when he was in his room, too hung up on what Jesse had planned for him that night. Ignoring the rest of what Dr. Blikman had to say, he slowly made his way to it, setting his new things next to it. Wrapping his cyborg fingers around the handle, he couldn’t help but appreciate at the new found ease of moving them, same with his arm as he brought it close to his face. Looking straight at his reflection, his heart sunk at what he saw. He thought back to the many conversations he heard about scarring, how it most of the what they could do was done. Nothing can heal this amount of skin damage. He shakily brought his fingers down the one of many that littered his face with imperfection. A face he was so unused to seeing. A face that he would argue was not his.

Tears bit at his eyes and he grabbed the mirror with both hands, smashing it against the edge of the table he got it from, glass falling like rain onto the tiled floors. Genji’s eyes clenched as he let out angry sob, shoulders slumping as he tried to let out a little of what he was fearing for weeks.

_If this is what my face looks like, what the hell did my body look like?_

Tears fell fast and hard, just as fast at the anger boiling up inside did. Hands clenched at the stainless steel, hardly noticing the awkward shuffle of feet by the scientists and doctors that stood behind him. Whispers and worried mumbles were heard before it was broken by the door sliding open, Angela Ziegler walking through with Jack Morrison.

“So I heard Mr. Shimada has finished up with all of his procedures correct? Are all the reports ready and accounted for?” Jack asked her as they took a few steps into the operating room.

“Ah, yes, I will aquire the reports for you, first you should get more acquainted with—“ Cutting herself off, she turned her head towards the direction where she heard troubled sobs, only to see Genji clutching tightly to the handle of a mirror, his new strength enough to bend it. Forgetting entirely about the strike commander, she made her way to Genji, bending her knees a little to catch his tilted downward gaze.

Genji saw this and tried to turn away, but her hands on his shoulders stopped him from doing so. He was forced to look at her, his breathing ragged and tried from trying to catch his breath from his bitter sobs. Standing up straight, Angela moved to grab a tissue and wipe away his cheeks gently. Red eyes, heaving chest, quivering lip and rigid hands. It was all enough to make her heart break in every way.

“Genji..” She sighed softly as he continued to mop of his tears with the thin sheet of tissue. “Please do not be upset.” Her forced her hands away from allowing the moment to look more intimate then intended, tossing the damp tissue into the nearby trash.

He snarled and pulled away from her, swallowing down a choked noise. “I am going to be upset. Just look at me. Look at what he did to me.”

Her eyes darted across his body, clicking as to what had got him upset. “Oh, Genji…I am so sorry.”

Piping up unexpectedly was Dr. Blikman, boldly taking a few steps closer to them. “That is why we placed him in the vat of nano-solution. We were hoping that it would further heal the scarring. But it proved to be a failure. On the bright side, it did other positive things. Such as relieving the stiffness Mr. Shimada was surely feeling.”

Jack and Angela simply nodded at him, though their attention was soon brought back to Genji who seemed to be calming down a little. His hands moving to rub and wipe at his face, his head turning to look at Angela again. He smiled just barely, a more awkward smile, as if apologizing to her for having to witness him crying again. His hands moved to equip the helmet and visor, content at the idea that this would hide his face from looking at it for a while. Genji turned his head to look around the room, holding his hand up to those who were about to protest that those were meant for incognito purposes only. Despite everything, he felt a wash of relief over him. A temporary fix to a deep rooted problem. It would have to do.

His eyes moved to see Jack Morrison, a tall and immensely toned man. His blue eyes were striking, a perfect complement to his blond hair. Glancing down his body, he found his arms were crossed behind his back, chest pushed out and shoulders back, a real show of leadership and dominance. It didn’t take long for him to notice that Genji was looking directly at him, before he took a few powerful steps towards the other. Putting his hand out, he quickly noticed it was rough and calloused, mostly likely from the usual weapon he uses. Grabbing his hand, Genji shook it firmly, eliciting a smile from the taller, buffer man.

“You will be a part of my team. The strike team of Overwatch. Welcome aboard, Genji Shimada.” 

His new attire that concealed his small smile to the commander, so he tried replying in a calm, warm tone. “It is a pleasure Mr. Morrison.”

The strike-commander’s smile only seemed to grow wider at his politeness, pulling his hand away shortly. “Before your first mission. You will have at least a week to fully get accompanied with the training schedules, among other things. You will be given a tour of our facilities within the next week or so. Is that okay?”

He gave the commander a curt nod. "I do not mind."

“Fantastic. Also, since it’s the start of the weekend. We will give you the rest of the that time to meet another agents and rest before your training begins. Do you understand?” He asked, trying incredibly hard to fight the smile he had on his face. It was like he won something Genji was not aware of.

He couldn’t help the scowl that rested on his face though, thankful to the fact that they could not see. Only two days to rest? Instead of complaining, knowing it wouldn’t look good, he gave another curt nod. “Yes, Mr. Morrison.” They shook hands one last time before Dr. Blikman handing Jack a few manila envelopes, no doubt about him, before he watched him walk off his merry way.

But then the commander stopped and turned on his heel, looking right at Genji once more. “Oh do not forget to put on some clothes, kiddo.” He laughed softly as he watched the other scramble into the attire he was given earlier. How embarrassing to be standing around naked like this. His cheeks only reddened when he heard small chuckles from the rest of the scientists before they dispersed to work on other assignments.

She was smiling softly at him, hands not knowing what to do with themselves as she tried to find a way to converse with the other. All the time she was quiet, stunned by the smile she was given before, practically leaving her feeling like jelly. “Genji, if you are not busy later tonight, would you like to spend time with Jesse and I, along with a few other agents? They are eager to meet you.” Before he could answer, she spoke once more, “Unless you want to take the night to adjust, that is completely fine as well.”

He smiled softly. Angela was the only one who worked within the medical team here who felt like there was actual care and compassion to her. He really appreciated it. Thinking on her offer, he wasn’t sure how to respond. Finally, he deemed he found an answer that was appropriate to how he was feeling. “Why don’t you tell me where you and your friends will be. I will think about whether I am feeling well enough to join you.”

Nothing could stop the grin she had on her face right now, suddenly aware of how foolish she might look, quickly containing it.

Nodding at him, she spoke in the sweet, cheery tone again, “We will be at communal kitchen in the North Wing. Blackwatch Commander Gabriel Reyes will be making food while we play games, usually card games. It’s at 7 pm later tonight. I really hope you make it.”

It was really hard even thinking about denying that request later, not wanting to disappoint her. But he just had to wait and see, he was not in the best of moods currently.

“Thank you Angela. Hopefully if all goes well, I will be there later tonight.”

Angela nodded, excusing herself to go back to work on her project, leaving him alone which was no better of a time than to walk out of the room. Walking down the halls, he could better see that there was construction going on. Replacing out-of-date wooden doors that the building must of came with new, sliding titanium doors. He could picture the dismay on Jesse’s face on having to figure out a better way to break into the rooms that were locked he did not have access too, now that his picks were rendered useless.

Continuing to walk down many corridors, he reached the lobby of the North Wing dormitory, dragging his feet up the stairs, down the hall then into his room. His hands moved to turn on the light, watching it flicker on, lighting up the room with a soft blue hue. Slowly, Genji moved to sit down on the edge, leaning forward to press his elbows on his knees, the palms of his hands holding his head as he stared through his visor to stare at the floor beneath him.

Minutes turned to hours, he sat there, thinking about all that had happened to him, growing restless and angry at the events that had happened. Seven o’clock has passed, forgetting entirely about the invitation he received earlier that day. Lying back against the mediocre mattress, he stared up at the ceiling until his eye lids grew heavy, drifting to an unsatisfying slumber.

***

The weekend passed by too fast to Genji, he had spent the most of it in his room, not ready to meet any of the other agents. Not ready to interact with the ones he was familiar with. Most of his time was spent lying on his bed. Didn’t eat, didn’t shower (albeit he wasn’t even sure if he could with his new body; that was something he would have to ask the doctors about), certainly didn’t step outside his room. His time was spent in bed, avoiding everything and everyone.

Then Monday morning came. It was a little past seven before he heard a hard knock on the door. He was not in the mood to deal with whoever was behind it, but it was rude not to answer it in the first place. Groggily sitting up in bed, he turned his head to face the door. He moved his legs around and off the bed, cursing silently at the stiffness he felt, then lifted himself up and off the hard mattress. Placing his hand over the panel, he activated the door and watched how it quickly slide open to reveal who was standing in front of it. It was none other than the cowboy, dressed in a different attire that was new to the jeans and flannel button up he saw during his off time. Although, the ridiculous heavy belt was still there, holding up his pants, this time being fatigue.

It didn’t take one with the eyes of a hawk to see that he gave Genji a once over, clearly surprised with how much he’d changed already in the month they haven’t seen one another. Watching his reaction made his churn with bitterness, feeling the need to justify to him that this was not what he wanted, but he knew that.

“G’mornin’ Genji.” He grinned at him, tipping his hat to him. The motion was so preposterous to the other he had to stifle his small chuckle, lest Jess hear it.

“I was sent to come and getcha for trainin’. Blackwatch versus Overwatch today. So we get to spar together. It’s something the commanders like to do. Like a competition.” Jesse said grinning, clearly excited to be fighting him soon enough.

Genji simply shrugged, feeling pretty indifferent to the situation brought up by the other. “Let’s just get this over with.” 

Promptly stepping out of the room, the both of them walked down the hall, pleasantly surprised at the way the door slid shut and locked once he walked several feet away from it.

“So partner, you didn’t make it to our little hang out on Friday. I was really lookin’ forward to seein’ ya. I know Ang sure was too.” He was met with another one of Genji’s shrugs, dismissing the whole thing. Even though he was in a new body, he could still feel the awkward tension that rose when Jesse didn’t bother making conversation with him any longer. Glancing to the side, he saw that even his hands were struck dumb trying to figure out what to do with themselves, finally settling on jamming their thumbs into the pockets of his pants. Finally. It was starting to get on his nerves.

It was just a little longer before they reached the gymnasium. The floors were padded with blue mats that when stepped on, he felt himself sink into it. Even if was just barely half an inch. Many agents were occupying the space, half in black attire, the other in sky blue, separated onto opposite edges of the mats. Only a handful were dressed in white and red, setting up what looked like medical equipment before blond hair pulled back in a ponytail caught his eye, realizing it was none other than Angela Ziegler.

“Angela is here?” He asked Jesse, turning his head to face him.

The other looked back at him and grinned, the tension melting away from him immediately. “A’course! She’s here, along with the others, to help in case someone gits hurt.”

Genji nodded in understanding, watching her chat with both of the commanders once she finished setting up what she needed.

“A’right partner, see ya in a bit!” The cowboy’s powerful elbow nudged at his upper arm, before running to his side of the gymnasium. Genji couldn’t help but let out a short puff of amusement before standing next to a woman.

He felt eyes burning at the side of his head before he turned his to look at her, not exactly eye to eye but close enough, his voice sharper than that of a dagger.

“Is there something I can _help_ you with?”

The stranger’s arms reeled around her stomach as she laughed, softening the other. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to stare it you like I did. You’re Genji right?”

He nodded, saying nothing.

“I’m Ana Amari, I’m second-in-command of Overwatch. I’ll be interested in seeing how you fight today.” Her lips split into a bright smile, eyes crinkling just a bit at the corners, giving her a very warm, welcoming look. It accentuated the surely Egyptian mark under her left eye, not to mention the dark hair framed her face perfectly. She was very much a figment of beauty. Thought it was strange to see how this woman was second in command to Jack Morrison. She looked older and much more experienced than he did.

“I hope you are impressed with what I have to offer.” Genji finally responded politely, drawing out a grin from the other as she placed her hands on her hips, even more interested in what he could do. Although he wasn't raised to be head of the clan, he was still skilled in combat and swordsmanship. Perhaps this was the outlet he needed right now.

A clap of hands broke the silence, drawing everyone’s attention towards the source. Commander Morrison was standing proudly, accompanied by the Blackwatch Commander Gabriel Reyes, a smug smirk resting on his face.

“So, you all know we do this once a month as a competition.” Morrison started as he rested the palms of his hands on his hips. “My team against Commander Reyes’ team. Whoever pins down the other will earn a point for their team. Each pair will have three tries at each other before heading to the bench or our lovely medical team to get examined if need be.” His large hand gestured to the team, all smiling but it was Angela who waved happily to everyone.

“Now.” Eyes were drawn back to the Commander Morrison as he began to speak once more. All I want is a good and clean spar. Nothing dirty, that especially mean hitting below the belt. Got it?” Blue eyes stared daggers at Gabriel who simply smirked and let out a smug laugh.

“Oh fuck off, Morrison. My troops know the limits of the game. Stop thinkin’ I’ll pull something on you, cabrón.”

The foreign word seemed to elicit a short laugh from Jesse, immediately looking off and whistling when Jack shot daggers at him this time.

Huffing, he straightened his back looked through his clipboard, pairing up the agents that will be sparring together. Then Genji heard his name along with Jesse’s, the two of them walking to their assigned area. Jesse’s eyes gleamed with excitement as he moved into a fighting stance, eyeing Genji to do the same before the match started. He let out an exasperated sigh, bowing to the other before he reached his stance.

“Now le—“ Before Morrison could finish what he was saying, Gabriel shouted enthusiastically towards Jesse.

“You show ‘em who’s boss, McCree. Make me proud!” It was like a proud dad cheering on his son at his nationals’ game. Jesse looked back at him with a huge grin, rocking back on the balls of his feet. He shoot him a quick thumbs up, practically leaping with joy when Commander Reyes returned the gesture. 

“You got it jefe!” He looked back at Genji, smirking this time, fully intent on winning.

Harshly clearing his throat, Commander Morrison was the center of attention once again. “Now without further ado, let us begin.”

Before Genji could even think about focusing on Jesse, he was already on the ground. The wind was knocked out of him before he could even register what happened. Knocked down by the cowboy. He completely caught off guard. In a split second, Jesse was back on his side of the mat, bouncing on the balls his feet. The excitement he has shown before melted away into fierce concentration, not wanting to let his commander down. Slowly, Genji got back onto his feet, his blood boiling with how easy it was for the other to get him on his back so quickly. Raising his hands, they clenched into fists as he stared back at the other, his jaw clenched with irritation and desire to get him knocked off his feet.

They staring contest didn’t last much longer once Jesse lunged towards Genji, fists coming towards him before he crossed his arms to block it, hopping out of the way to throw off his balance. His leg lifted to kick at his lower back, knocking him off balance completely before he landed face first into the mat, skidding forward and wincing at the burn he got from it. Feeling some, but not complete, satisfaction from the show, his lips upturned into a smile behind his visor as he watched Jesse bounce onto his feet again. The last of three, he thought. It wasn’t going to be easy for either of them.

Blows were handed left and right before they pulled back away from one another, both panting. Automatically, Genji felt air flow released into his body, a welcomed miracle to cool his overheated body. Jesse dropped his fists to the sound of it, caught off guard of it all before he started circling around on the mat. His focus, however, did not waver from the small distraction. Genji did the same, circling so Jesse can remain completely opposite of him at all time, still wary of the man’s abilities. He was a lot better in battle than he let on. It was impressive, but nothing he could not deal with.

“Genji, I have ta ask. You ain’t mad with me are ya?” The cowboy inquired, his fists still raised in case the other took the opportunity to attack.

In this case, he did. Genji leaped towards the other, throwing punches only to have him blocked before jumping back. “I have no quarrel with you. Why do you ask?” They circled around a bit more before it was Jesse’s turn to fight back, turning a punch that successfully hit Genji square on the chest, but was then kicked back and away from the other.

“Because ya don’t seem happy to see me. I was just wondering is all, thought I did something to upset cha.”

His brows furrowed at the concern but shrugged it off, throwing more punches at the other, Jesse just barely dodging the one sent for his jaw. “It is not you I am upset with.”

“Tell me what’s wrong, pal. Is it about joinin’ Overwatch?” Jesse asked again, unknown to that spark of rage he ignited inside of Genji who threw himself at the other and punch his shoulder, only to have Genji punch at his visor, wincing at the contact the hard metal made against his knuckles. Genji felt the rattle of the material against his jaw, stumbling back as he breathed for air, feeling a greater amount of air flow come into contact with his skin.

He decided not to answer the cowboy, the talking was getting irritating. He wanted to fight. Slowly, his movements became much hastier, focusing on just hitting Jesse rather than throwing him off guard and down. It wasn’t hard for Jesse to dodge them, thought he seemed more intent on talking then fighting.

“I think I know what yer goin’ through. I hated it my first time here. But you know the people—“

Gritting his teeth, Genji threw a particularly hard punch at his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. “How on Earth could you possibly understand what I am going through? My father forced my brother to try and kill me. All because I did not want to be a part of the ‘family business’.”

As Jesse coughed and gasped for air, Genji moved behind him to elbow him right in the center of his back, watching the other fall onto his stomach. “My brother more than delivered a fight for my elders to see, the disgrace of the family suffering before the elders by the hands of my brother. And then by some untold miracle, I make it alive.”

He kneeled down against the mats and grabbed the ankle of his leg, grip tight. “Only to be brought here and be modified to look more like an omnic, then an actual omnic. How the fuck could you _possibly_ understand?” He was seething at his point, all rationality leaving his body as he lifted Jesse and tossed him towards the wall of the gymnasium. The toss wasn’t strong enough for him hit the wall, nor get near it, but it was just enough to throw him several feet away from Genji. His body hit and dragged across the mat, resembling a rag doll with his limbs limp and splayed around him.

Silence fell beneath the other agents, all stopping to see Genji with his fists clenched, staring towards Jesse who was on the floor, coughing with his hand against his stomach.

“ ** _Morrison!_** ” A violent shout echoed through the gymnasium, belonging to none other than Reyes as he stomped towards the strike commander, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him down below him as he glared straight into his eyes. “What the ever-loving fuck is your subordinate doing tossing people around like they’re ragdolls. Is this what how you’re trying to win these things now, huh, _is it?_ ” The other shook his head, actually looking afraid as to what Reyes would do him seeing as his top subordinate was thrown like he did.

“N-No Gabriel—No Reyes, no, no of course not. Medic!! Quickly, now, now!” Before he could even look back at them, Angela was running towards Jesse, kneeling by him. It was a difficult task push the heavy man onto his back but she did it nonetheless. Quickly inspecting his body, she let out a relieved sigh.

Looking back towards the commanders, she smiled sadly at Gabriel. “He’ll be fine. Just some bad bruising he will have to recover from.”

Reyes sighed softly, shoving Morrison away as he stomped his way to Genji. Coming to a dead stop, his crossed his arms and snarled at him. “Listen, kid. I don’t know who the fuck you think you are throwing him like that, but you better lock that shit down. We aren’t out in the field, we’re in a god damn gym training to be better, and ain’t no one is going to be better if you knock their ass into the fucking operating rooms, you understand?”

Swallowing thickly, he nodded, his anger melting from his body when he realized what he’d done. All eyes were on him, whispers and mumbles louder than anything he’d heard in the past month. Surrounding him at every angle. His heart was working twice as hard now, pounding against his chest as he body spread cold with regret at what he did to Jesse. Taking a few steps backward, he bolted out of the gymnasium. He ran far from it, his chest tightening with each step it threatened to make him stop breathing. Finally, he slowed to a stop and pressed his hands and forehead against a wall, gasping for breath, swallowing down the urge to sob at more than hurting Jesse. At everything.

Familiar darkness pooled at the edge of his mind, his body pulsating before growing numb at, pins and needles pricking behind his clenched eyelids.

There he was again. His older brother, with the same back that was turned to him. This was different. He was kneeling down, soft sipping heard. A subtle scent of green tea hit his nose, all cares melting away as he started walking towards his brother. He watched as the other tilted his head upward, alert to the soft steps that approached him, turning his head to look over his shoulder to see Genji walking towards him. Hanzo’s lips curled into a soft smile, watching his younger brother approach him. Genji watched him carefully. Was he not surprised with his new appearance? Curiously, he looked down at his hands to see what Hanzo saw. A bloom of joy erupted from the pit of his stomach, wanting nothing more than to skip as he saw his hands were flesh again. Just flesh. Nothing covering them. He turned his head to look up his arm before gently smacking his hands against his cheeks, laughing cheerily at the smoothness of it all. No scars. No metal. He was normal again. Quickening his pace, he grinned widely at Hanzo, extending out his hand to the other. This was his chance, his chance to help Hanzo overcome the difficulties his father had laid out for him.

“Genji…” He heard him say softly as he approached closer and closer to the other, watching his expression morph into one of ill intent. His steps slowed as he watched Hanzo move his slender fingers down to set his tea cup against the wooden table. His brows knit together with worry his hand, pulling back from fear as he watched Hanzo reach under his cushion and pull out an ornate dagger, slowly standing to be face to face with his younger brother. He saw a something flicker through his eyes, something he could not read as his face remained stoic, inching closer to the other.

“Genji.” He said again, this time firmer than before. With every step he took backward, Hanzo took one forward before Genji was pinned back against a wall. The blade inched closer to his jaw, nothing he could do but press himself back against the wall, his head turning away from Hanzo with fear. “No.. No you can’t,” crying out desperately. 

“No!”

He felt hands on his shoulders shaking him, pulling him back to reality. “No, what? Genji it is just me!” Genji whipped his head around to see Angela, eyes filled with worry for his well-being. Staring back at her through his visor, he felt what little composure he had left crumble away. Shoulders slumping, he began to sob harder than he ever had before. His body leaned forward against Angela’s, her hands coming around to remove his visor and wrap them around him tightly. Tears trickled down his cheeks and dripped down his chin, staining the sleeves of her shirt. One of his hands moved to press against her upper back to pull her closer to him.

“E-Everything hurts…” He cried out to her, his fingers curling into the fabric of her clothing. “I—I just want to b-be me again…I want to go h-home…” Dropping his visor onto the ground, both of Angela’s hands pressed against Genji’s upper back, rubbing soothing circles into his shoulder blades, cooing softly in her attempts to console him.

“You did nothing wrong to deserve the way you feel right now, Genji Shimada.” She swallowed thickly as she rested her cheek against his shoulder, her fingers moving down his back to rub at his sides.  
  
He bit down on his bottom lip hard, nearly drawing blood before tilting his head down to let out a choked sob, his body hiccupping from the force of sadness. “Th-then...wh-why…” He asked, barely getting it out to a form where Angela could understand what he was saying.

“I can’t…I can’t answer that. I really wish I could.” She said sadly, feeling her own eyes heat up with tears at seeing him like this.  
  
He didn’t say anything else. They stood there in the hallway, Angela’s hands pressed firmly against his back as she continued to whisper sweet nothings in a language he did not understand, as he sobbed into her hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the incredibly late update. I've been busy with school and guitar lesson. Not to mention Thanksgiving with my family. Also the liquid Genji was in is something I read out of a book long, long time ago. It was incredibly interesting!! That's not the exact name, I couldn't find the original so I made something up. It's basically a vitamin rich elixir with nano-biotics (like probiotics in stomach) as well that are incredibly beneficial to healing.


	5. Conflicts and Resolutions

It wasn’t too long before they parted away from each other, the warmth they felt from one another fleeting and all that was left between them was Angela’s smile. Still feather soft, it began to bring warmth to his cheeks, a mental signal that was shot throughout his body, quickly and mindlessly moving to bend down and pick up his visor once more so he can shield himself. Setting it into position, he reattached it to the rest of him. The gesture made her smile fall just a little, but there was understanding present in her eyes. She reached up to rub at the back of her own neck, sheepishly, her feet shuffling beneath her just a little before she spoke.

“Do you feel any better?” She asked, her hand coming up to rest on his shoulder, her thumb briefly moving to rub the area in a small, comforting circle.

Gentle. Everything about her was so gentle.  
  
The other gave her a curt nod, his lips curling up into a smile as warm as the sun. A shame it was blocked by his visor, much like dark clouds. Angela must have picked up on it though, because she smiled back just as warmly, her eyes shining with relief. She pulled her hand away from him and took one, no, two steps back from him, that hand coming to rest on her chest instead. “I am glad. I was incredibly worried.”

“I am sorry, about what happened—” He stopped himself when she raised her lithe fingers in protest, stopping him before he can continue any further.

“I understand Genji. You are still coping with what happened.” She smiled sadly at him, her hands lowering and lacing together in front of her. “But if you ever need someone to listen to you, I am here. There is no need for, you know…” She trailed off, rubbing her arm uncomfortably, adverting her eyes to the side. Genji recalled the spar he had with Jesse not too long ago, the guilt flooding over him once more.

He hated himself for doing that. For losing control and hurting Jesse like he did. He didn’t deserve it. It was unnecessary. What did he think of him now? His cybernetic shoulders slumped, then before he could say anything, Angela’s eyes grew a little in a familiar worry. “Oh shoot, I should really go check up on him,” She stammered out before rushing down the hall. Looking over his shoulder, Genji watched her body twist around so she can look at him as she skipped backwards, her hand waving a frantic goodbye.

“I’ll see you later!” Then twisting forward again, her feet picked back up to her initial pace as she ran down the halls and out of sight.

He couldn’t help but let out a quick chuckle, his insides warming while he waved back at her. She was a kind person, he thought. A blessing in the unfavorable position he was in.

That train of thought quickly shifted gear, quickly finding himself thinking back to Jesse, the warmth heated to a boil of shame while his veins ran icy. Replaying over and over the grunts of pain he heard until he earned himself a shiver down his spine, shuddering a little. His brows furrowed as he awkwardly stood in the center of the hallway. His feet finally started moving, slow and uncertain, ultimately deciding he should go and see him. An apology was in order.

 

Even at how enticing the clicking of her short heels were, it did get tiring after a while, especially with how quick she had to be in them most of the time. Then her darn bangs, always getting in her face, threatening to slip past her lips (which, granted, has happened before, leaving her incredibly uncomfortable at the fact she would have to discreetly spit them out, as to not embarrass herself). Heaving a sigh, she finally reached the medical wing, stepping in front of each room to check the clip board to see where her friend would be. After a few disappointing reads, she finally reached his door, immediately bursting in and drawing the attention of Gabriel and Jesse to her, their conversation cut short.

Gabriel’s expression melted into one of sympathy and Jesse’s mouth upturned into a wonderful smile, one that quickly put her at ease. “Angela!” He piped up happily, his hand moving to pat the spot next to him on the bed. “C’mere, darlin’. What took ya so long? I need my nurse to look after me.” He waggled his brows at him which earned him a quick smack to the back of his head by Gabriel’s rough palm. He turned to glare at him, his lips jutting out in a pout while the other merely smirked at him.

All of the doctor’s worries drained from her at seeing the usual pair indulge in each other’s banter, then finally took the suggested seat next to Jesse. She wrapped her delicate arms around his neck, hugging so tight that it might as well have squeezed the life out of him. Good thing the room has a defibrillator. He heard the cowboy wheeze a soft laugh, his arms wrapping around to give her a good squeeze back.

“Oh Jesse, I’m glad you’re okay.” Angela sighed softly before pulling away, her hands moving to card through his hair and down his neck, coming around to cup his cheeks.

“Aaaw, Angie. I knew ya cared.” The cowboy quipped, Gabriel slowly raising his hand once more towards him. He turned his head to grin at his Blackwatch boss before yelping, pulling Angela close to hide his face against his chest. “Angie, heeeelp me. Saaaave me.”

“Gabriel Reyes, don’t you dare lay another finger on my Jesse!” Her voice was filled with faux anger, her lips quivering as she attempted to hide her smile, lithe fingers stroking through Jesse’s hair.

Gabriel smirked widely at her, an eye brow raised at her. “My apologies, doctor, the little runt just doesn’t learn.”

“Hey!” They heard Jesse’s muffled yell into Angela’s chest, causing the both of them to laugh cheerily. Jesse finally pulled away, joining them in the happy laughter before laying back down against the bed, throwing his arms up into the air, stretching out his stiff limbs from the lack of movement. The laughter died down, leaving Gabriel and Jesse with a pleased smile on their faced, but Angela with a pit of worry in her stomach.

“You’re really okay…?” Angela asked in a small, soft voice. “What happened looked really bad, I—“ It didn’t take long for Jesse to stop her by moving his hand up and down her arm, nodding at her.

“Gabe ‘s been here since the doctors left and he can vouch for ‘em. I ain’t in no critical condition. Just bruises and some internal bleeding. That elbow of Genji’s was the real kicker to be quite honest...” He trailed off, his smile falling into a frown as he looked down, his calloused fingers fiddling with each other. “Is…Is he doin’ alright, Angie?”

 Before she could answer, Gabriel just scoffed. That drew attention from both of them onto him, watching as he crossed his arms. “Why should you care if he’s okay? If you ask me, he shouldn’t be a part of this organization if he’s going to pull shit like that.” He lips curled down into a scowl, eyes wandering back to Jesse who just looked at him with a warm smile. That tough front softened into confusion as he eyed the cowboy. Angela relaxed as he watched the cowboy laugh softly.

“I don’t blame ya fer feelin’ that way, Gabe. But don’t be too hard on the guy. He’s clearly going through alotta shit, and I mean alotta. If takin’ it out on me makes him feel at least a little better, I don’t mind it.” He smiled more, this time a little bit more painfully which Gabe scowled deeper at.

“But I mind, you dumbass.” The commander huffed, his fingers moving to flick at his nose which Jesse just whined at.

“It is true though…” Angela started, drawing both of their eyes onto her. She looked away as she recalled finding Genji in the middle of the hall, just mumbling to himself before she managed to snap him out of it. “I know it has to do something with his family. Nearly two months ago, I found him bloody and broken on the ground near his own home…” She looked down at her hands, tracing over her fingers mindlessly as she thought back to the crushing moment of seeing his eyes filled with pure agony, his broken hand grasping for her, for her hair. The desperate look of not wanting to be in the immense pain, the pure feeling of not wanting to leave this Earth. To die.

“Angela?”

Her head snapped back up at look at them, seeing at how concerned Jesse was, then at how interested Gabriel was. She couldn’t help but swallow thickly as she tried to shy away from their eyes, her hand moving to push back her bangs behind her ear. It was a failed gesture, as they just fell from their spot and in front of her face again once she looked back down to her hands. “I’m fine. I’m just worried about him.”

Jesse’s lips parted to respond, but then was silenced by the knocking on the door, his brows raised in surprise. Angela and Gabriel mimicked his reaction, neither of them expecting any more company.

“Come in!” Jesse finally called out, then watched as the door slowly opened to reveal his cybernetic friend. His curious expression morphed into one of relief, though the obvious tension between them still remained and he simply smiled awkwardly at the other. “Hey there pardner—what, uh—what brings ya by?”

“It better be to apologize.” Gabriel snapped at the other, quick to stand on his feet and place his hands on his hips. He can’t say he wasn’t pleased with how Genji took a step away from him. “I still got a lot to say to this—oouf…!” The commander was silenced with a swift punch to his abdomen by Jesse’s fist, earning him a glare he so gracefully returned with one of his own. Tearing his eyes away from Gabriel’s, ending the stare-off the both of them had, before returning his full attention onto Genji. This seemed to take the edge off of him as he took a few closer steps to Jesse.

“He is correct. Jesse I am here to apologize,” Genji started as he stopped by the edge of his bed, his hands curling at his side.  “You did nothing to warrant what I did to you. Please forgive me. I was not thinking clearly. I was angry and upset.” He watched as Jesse’s expression immediately softened into a warm smile, the cold grip of his fear and anxiety melting away, finally setting him free and relieving to any sort of thoughts he might have had that his actions might have caused their friendship to come to an end.

“‘Course I forgive ya, Genji.” His center bloomed with heat at his smile, the cyborg finding himself return it behind his visor. The stress that thick in the room dissolved, Gabriel even letting his shoulders slump back down and uncrossing his arms, eyeing the both of them with a small smile.  Angela seemed the most relieved, her hands on her chest as her face just welled up with emotion at the scene. Soon she rose back to her feet, her expression welling up, just slightly, with disappointment. The three men all looked towards her, watching as she dusted off her clothing, all knowing what came next.

She smiled sadly as she laced her fingers in front of her waist, physically holding back a chuckle as she watched Jesse pout angrily before he heard what she had to say. “I really should get going now. But I’m glad you’re alright Jesse.”

That earned her a big, toothed grin, then a modest hand-slap through the air. It would be like Jesse to turn every action of his into a cute, little flirtation that brought a smile to everyone in the room. Angela laughed softly as she fluffed up his hair, watching as the smile that she thought couldn’t get any bigger indeed did. Another soft chuckle slipped past her lips, dimples showing as she grinned wider herself.

As the two of them indulged in his other’s company, even Gabriel moved to chime in and ruffle up his subordinate’s hair. The three of them laughing and poking fun, the doctor began to clearly stall her time.  The cyborg just watched, his chest tightening as he stood in front of them, just watching the display. A friendship he could not begin to understand between the three, not to mention felt more than awkward at nagging feeling he was sitting through a very intimate moment. The heat he felt growing in his chest flushed down towards his stomach, fear gripping his guts with an iron fist. He wished to join them, be a part of the merriment the blossomed before him. It felt inappropriate, even though he knew Jesse felt no ill-will towards him, but it was too soon. Much too soon. He swallowed the lump of envy that held his throat, his body shifting to move a step back before stopping as Angela pulled herself away from them, giggling a little.

“Okay, okay. Now I will get going. You guys are such a distraction.” Her hand was to her lips, barely covering the grin she displayed.

They both laughed, Gabriel tilting his head as he flashed her a cheeky wink. “Well we all know the doctor could use a break. Now go, alright?”

She laughed and nodded, heading towards the door to make her leave. Genji quickly took the opportunity to join her, the perfect moment to not hang around and make things more awkward then they already were to him. “I will leave with you Angela!” He managed to stammer out as he joined her side, walking out with her, arms moving behind his back.

Angela moved to turn her head to him and smile, shoulders moving up in a shy motion. He turned to look back at her, exchanging a glance with each other that slowed time, only to be broken when the doctor looked away, slender fingers reaching up to push back a strand of golden hair. Genji looked back to what was in front of him, ignoring the way his pins unsealed, letting out the hot air that was building up within him.

The clack of heels and metal echoed throughout the hallway, Genji finding himself at a loss for words. His mouth dropped open behind his face plate to start some small talk before he heard Angela’s footsteps come to a stop, then swiveled around to face her, tilting his head in confusion at her sudden halt.

Her hands moved to smooth down the stray fibers of hair that stuck out from the side of her head before smiling at him. “I’m really glad you apologized to Jesse. It means a lot. Not to just him but me.” He watched as her feet shuffled nervously against the ground, then up to her face, catching the feint tint of pink that colored her cheeks. “If I weren’t so busy right now, I would like to spend time with you, but I really must be returning to working on my Valkyrie suit. Well, prototype, anyway…”

Genji simply nodded in understanding, a small smile forming on his lips. “Maybe next time?” He asked after gathering the small amount of courage he had within him.

“Yes, next time.” Her lips parted into a shy grin, eyes lighting up at him.

He managed to left out a brief chuckle, his stomach stirring with a feeling he hadn’t felt in quite some time. Angela just mumbled something about leaving. Genji did the same. They walked past one another, the rush of wind eliciting a silent, yet giddy, giggle from Angela as she made her way to her laboratory.

***

He wasn’t surprised, just disappointed. There he was, hooked up to wires once more as the same few doctors inspected and monitored his body. Thankfully, it wouldn’t be too long this time. His visor faceplate and visor were set to the side along with his helmet. Out of the corner of his eye, he briefly saw his reflection, turning his body to get a better look at himself. His hair was longer, his black roots revealing itself under the striking lime green. It was due for a trim. Then another dye job within another few weeks. If he had time to do that, that is.

Genji ran his hand through his hair, sighing softly to himself before his attention was brought back to the doctors talking amongst themselves, pointing and dragging around bits and pieces of files that were displayed. Some of which were undoubtedly his medical files.

“Mr. Shimada, we would just like to inform you of some recent discoveries we’ve made about your body and our next steps.” A clear, silvery voice cut through the silence, drawing Genji’s attention to them. She was an older woman, perhaps in her late-twenties, early-thirties, red hair pulled back in a tight bun. Someone he had been around constantly, but never had the chance to be introduced to properly. She, like many others, did her job and didn’t waste time on formalities.

She walked over to the cyborg, name tag clacking against her lab coat. Quickly sneaking a glance, he saw her name.

Ceana Righ M.D.  
Neurosurgery and Medical Research.

He brought his dark eyes to meet her stunning green, interested in what she had to say.

“After weeks of working on it, we were able to figure out the source of why you lack your sense of taste. Since your body is so enhanced, we hypothesized that because of this, the new modifications have interfered with your sense of taste. We are now working on some modifications we will be able to install into your mouth so you can regain your sense of taste. Is that something you would be interested in?"

The other nodded nodded quickly, almost crying out in excitement. He would be able to taste things again.

“But, those modifications will not be the same as having your complete sense of taste. However, it is going to be a close second. Is that alright with you?" 

Genji's excitement dwindled but he did nod. It was certainly better than nothing.  

“Great.” She flipped through the paperwork held together by her clipboard, fine, pale orange brows drawing together in concentration. It did not take long to find what she was after, immediately relaxing before her eyes gazed back up to meet Genji’s.

“Before Overwatch can send you off on any real mission, they have requested for us to build armor attachments, so you do not go out into the field practically nude. Along with that, we are designing weaponry for your completely synthetic arm. A compartment already built in to hold in a desired small, but effective weapon of your choice. We can go more into that later, of course. Other than that, you shouldn’t be expecting any more additions or adjustments to your body. Unless you get hurt again.”

A joke that was clearly made in poor taste, it didn’t bring any humorless laughter out of Genji. He simply pressed his lips together in a fine line as he watched the doctor awkwardly cough in an attempt to lighten the mood.

She then gave him a weak smile, long nails clicking against the back of the clipboard. “Any questions you have for me, or any of the other doctors?”

The cyborg bit the inside of his cheek as he thought over some of the details. Pursing his lips at one thought he had, he then parted them to speak. “When will my mission to Hanamura be?”

“Oh!” Looking through her clipboard once more, her emerald eyes scanned the print to find any information she could on that topic. Finally, she reached what seemed to be the last few pages that were clipped back, her fingers pulling back to swipe away a few fly-away hairs. “It says here that the time frame of your new pieces of armor should be done by the end of this month, while the weaponry by the end of next month. Then the two weeks of advised training. Give or take about eight weeks. That will give you enough time to train with Commander Jack Morrison.”

Eight weeks. That was a long time. Too long. He wanted to get retrieve the belongings he left behind. Especially his sword. The sword that contained the power to unleash his Shimada dragon and deflect any projectile and force coming his way, returning it to the sender with just as much power. Eight weeks also gave him enough time to plan how he will take back what belongs to him, then take down those who opposed him. Take down the clan.

***

It was days later. The pressure of what occurred with Jesse still lingered. He was given burning looks mixed with frightened ones. Most agents avoided him, often leaving him with no sparring partner during training. Often leaving either the body bag to practicing his blows or occasionally Jack Morrison.

To his surprise, he wasn’t too bad of a guy like he had thought. Sure, he took his job too seriously at times (talk of him not being able to relax and not to mention projecting his stress onto others from Jesse), along with being slightly awkward, he was nice. They were sparring together right now, pleased at the fact he could see Jack’s sweat on his brow from their fight. He smirked a little behind his mask, jolting towards him to land a powerful blow to his chest, knocking him back a few steps, but never onto his back.

The commander brought his eyes to look at Genji, a powerful hand moving through his own blond locks—his mind wandering briefly to Angela’s golden hair—watching him straighten his back, putting both hands on his hips with a satisfied smile. The sight relaxed the other as well, his shoulders slumping back, a small smile resting on his own face, hidden away from the other to see.

“You’ve been improving, Genji! You’ll be ready for your first mission in no time.” His lips parted to a grin, slowly moving over to pat him on the back. A gesture that was completely unfamiliar to the young Shimada, never earning praise, let alone a pat on the back for doing well in training. It was something that was expected of him. Skills and abilities that were required to be honed in order serve his father, then the future heir. Jack never saw the watery smile that was hidden away.

“Alright, I’m going to hit the showers. Same time tomorrow, okay?” His commander smiled wide when he watched him nod, giving him a big thumbs-up. “Good!”

Despite the smile he got, it couldn’t prevent the feeling of dread that ate at his side. He snapped out of his thoughts as he heard Jack shuffle on his sneakers before he walked over the padding. Swallowing thickly, Genji hurried to his side before he walked anywhere too far. He cleared his throat quietly, trying hard to not project his anxiety as he looked over at the commander.

“Strike Commander—” He was cut off when Jack held up his hand and laughed softly, turning his head to smile softly at the other.

“Morrison is fine, Genji.”

 The cyborg inhaled softly and nodded, still finding it difficult to stay calm around the other. “Morrison…” He started, a little shakily, “You aren’t mad at me about what happened? You don’t seem to hold any ill-will towards me, like most of the others do…”

His smile fell a little, pursing his lips lips in thought before he responded. “When I was around your age, I was part of the Solider Enhancement Program before I was enlisted into Overwatch. I wasn’t accepted right off the bat, especially from Gabriel—” His smile fell more, his brows furrowing as he trailed off, lost in thought.

Genji felt sympathy at the sight. Did something happen between the two of them long before? He felt some sort of emotion radiating off the other. Regret.

A vulnerable moment that he wasn’t meant to see.

Morrison seemed to realize a long moment of silence had passed before he straightened his back to look at Genji again, his smile weak, eyes tired. His chest tightened at the sight. “But it’s always misunderstandings in the beginning. I managed to win their friendship and respect, Gabriel and I grew to be fast friends. Just friends...so I wouldn’t stress too much about the aftermath. All that matters is that you said sorry and he forgave you. Which I heard did happen! So you’re fine.” He ended his statement with a cheerier disposition. The other finally felt at ease.

“Thank you, Morrison.” He said softly, gratitude laced through his tone. 

The Strike Commander smiled, features softening once more. “Of course, Genji. Don’t be afraid to talk to me.” He let out a shy laugh as he took a few steps backward. “Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to go and take a shower. I have been whipping you slackers into shape since morning.”

Genji nodded, letting out a short laugh, nodding at the other. The perfect cue for the both of them to part ways. He felt as if a lot of weight was finally off his shoulders, his commander’s words putting him at ease.

***

Tensions seemed to finally die down in the coming days, Genji finding himself relieved that Jack was right. It certainly helped that spending his time with Jesse seemed to soften, even fade away, the suspicions that what he did to the other was of ill intent.

He was training again. There was no one around for him to spar with. It was much too late for that. Everyone was in bed by this time. But, he couldn’t sleep. So sparring often helped him take the edge off of his psyche. Genji threw powerful blows towards the body bag, his legs moving up to hit it as well, more than happy to get as much action as his fists. His hands soon came to a stop as he overheard mumbling out in the hallway.

Relaxing his stance, he tip toed to the door, the voices growing louder for him to hear.

“Look, Gabe, all I want is for you to treat me like a normal person again. Is that so much to ask. We used to be such good friends.”

“Yeah that was all up until you stole my position from under my ass, like the snake you are, Morrison. And **_don’t_** call me Gabe. It’s Gabriel.”

Genji winced internally at the conversation already. So something did happen between the two of them, he thought. He pressed the side of his head closer to the door, hoping to better hear the conversation going on between the two of them. Though, they were being loud enough already.

An exasperated sigh seemed to tumble out of Morrison’s lips. “Okay, fine. Gabriel. Please, I don’t want to do this right now. I’m busy with work.”

“Fine, chico. Go on and do your work and leave with your tail between your legs like the coward you know you are. You wouldn’t have gotten anywhere close to Strike-Commander if it weren’t for me and you know it.”

“Gabriel—come now you know that’s not true.” Another sigh. “Look, I don’t want to fight with you anymore. I said I was sorry. Can’t we just go back to how things used to be?”

“You know damn well we can’t, Jack.” There was an aggravated huff that came out of the Blackwatch Commander, his voice starting to get shakier with anger. “That’s always how it’s been like with you. Got into the Solider Enhancement program easy, do one right thing and everyone is handling you medals left and right, looking over all the rest who work so much damn harder, all ‘cause they don’t look like your poster-boy ass.”

Genji then heard an angry stomp of a foot against the ground. “Hey, I worked just as hard as everyone else.”

“Oh, realllllly. Is that what you think. Fuck outta here, Morrison. I don’t wanna hear your bullshit excuses at how you weren’t such a god damn kiss ass.” He heard a dismissive scoff, combat boots walking off in the opposite direction and away from his commander.

It seemed like Reyes was gone completely, the silence settling. Cold and unforgiving. Just as he was about to pull his head away from the door, he heard a soft thwap. Like a hand hitting something? His eyes darted around in his skull as he tried to figure out what it could be before an exasperated sigh cut through his concentration.

“Gabe. If only you knew. I tried so hard to get close to you. Be your friend. I never tried to hurt you. I thought you would have been proud of me, like how I was proud of me. But you don’t know how much it hurts to see you like this…” His voice trailed off, the sound of footsteps picking up as he left the scene.

Genji finally pulled his head away from the door, his brows furrowed at the conflict he just heard. He rested his hand on the door, feeling himself sympathizing for both men.  

***

“Is it common for agents to be involved in a relationship?” Genji thought aloud as he looked off into the distance. He was next to Angela who was working on the suit she mentioned to him before. Next time had finally come and, even though neither of them were exactly free, they found a small opportune time to spend time with one another. She was concentrated on her work, but the question that uttered past Genji’s lips seemed to pull her right out of the sea of absorption, her hands spasming in shock only to lose the screwdriver she was working with. It fell to the floor with a startling clatter and she bent down to pick it up, sighing softly as she tried to push down the hot flush she felt reside on her cheeks.

“Um…Not necessarily…why?” Eyes slightly aching with how blown they were, she blinked out of her surprise and looked away from him, her hand moving to brush her bangs behind her ear. A habit she never seemed to lose no matter how hard she tried.

The cyborg moved his head to look at her, lips pursing in thought. Her eyes moved down to look at him, grateful at the fact that Genji had taken off his visor and faceplate so they can converse face to face, rather than face to mask. It was touching… He hadn’t seen him take it off willingly for anyone else but her. His expression finally morphed into one she couldn’t quite read, but he seemed to have gathered his thoughts, sitting up straight.

“Well. I don’t know, I was talking to Jack and the way he was talking about Gabriel, it seemed like they had a falling out of sorts.” Genji moved to look at her, lips pressed together and out in thought, which admittedly, was adorable. Her shoulders relaxed when he brought up the two commanders, tilting her head a little. Thinking back to it, it did seem like there was some hidden past between the two, but she was never one to pry either.

“I’m not quite sure. To be honest, I think it would be mostly unrequited. Jack doesn’t seem like he would be Gabriel’s type to me.” She continued to work, her cheeks heating up in the realization she was gossiping about her commanders. “B-But uh, that’s not exactly any of our business!” She stammered out, delicate hands moved to tighten one of the looser screws, feeling herself flounder under Genji’s gaze.

He chuckled just barely under his breath. “You’re right.”

His head turned to look forward, gazing at the blue prints hung up, revealing plans for not only her Valkyrie suit, but other pieces of technology and devices. His dark eyes darted mindlessly through words and symbols he couldn’t hope to understand, his head turning back to look at Angela, her blue eyes meeting with his. His question escaped him, finding himself lost in the moment. Her long bangs perfectly framing her face, eye liners accentuating her beautiful eyes even more so. There was even a faint dusting of freckles on the bridge of her nose, something he hadn’t caught before now. After what seemed like hours, they broke eye contact, looking off in different directions. Angela back to her project and Genji looking off to a random, scientific beaker his eyes first caught sight off.

Swallowing thickly, he finally parted his lips to speak again, this time much softer. “I never noticed you had freckles before.”

Angela felt heat rise to her cheeks and ears, fingers moving to lightly graze over skin. “Oh um—yes…Usually when I’m working on strenuous projects like this, I skip the foundation. Often eye makeup too. Just eye liner.” She stopped herself before she got anymore ahead. Talking about something as mundane as her make-up routine wasn’t exactly interesting.

“I see.” He felt his face flood with heat, smiling just barely. She looked nice either way. His once boundless confidence, the overflowing pride he had with his ability to sweep just about anyone off their feet was gone. Situations where he could have flirted his way out of trouble, here, he was much too shy to even say that to her.

They sat together in near silence, the buzzing and whirring of Angela’s tools keeping the room from being uncomfortably quiet, each of them bearing a small smile on their faces. The mechanical noises slowly came to a slow, her fingers setting down the drill. She walked around the suit, examining it as it was held stationary on a mannequin. The doctor let out a satisfied sigh, her eyes eyeing over every detail. The base was elevated for her to finish working on the knee-high protective boots. With press of a few bottoms, the base slowing dropped down back into the ground, the mannequin’s feet resting back down on level with her. Her delicate hands brushed off the ivory alloy shoulder pads, her nails gently grazing across the wings, then down the breast and stomach plates, soft hands trailing down the heavy-duty fabric that draped between the legs in a fashionable way. A personal touch she prided herself with. Finally, after months of development, it was complete.

“So, are you going to test it out?” Genji asked as he rose from his seat, making his way to stand by her side, taking the chance to eye up her masterpiece as well.

“I would. But I’m with you right now.” She looked towards him and smiled shyly, watching the other turn to meet her gaze. His dark eyes grew a little in surprise, but then eased into warmth, going well with the bashful smile his face held. Angela’s chest tightened at the sight, forcing herself to look back at her creation, cheeks turning a flattering pink. “Besides, I’ve been working on it practically all day. I don’t want to end it with the possibility of getting hurt or—” Missing out on spending her time with Genji.

“You deserve to take a break.” She heard him say, voice much clearer without his faceplate block the soundwaves.

Her head turned to face him again, lips parted in a smile as she nodded. “You are right.” Her mind wandered over the many options of activities they could do together, finally settling on one. “Would you like to go on a walk with me? I could use the air from being in my lab for so long.”

“That is a good idea. I would like that.” He moved to reattach his face plate and visor, swiftly walking to the door, pressing the button so the door can slide open for the doctor as she gathered her identification card.

Angela couldn’t help but let out a shy, little giggle as they walked out of the lab together, instantly swiping her card so her lab door can shut and lock. The two began to walk down the hall together, the strange mix of metal and wooden soles against the floor bounced off the walls and to their ears, bringing forth a warm feeling of satisfaction gushing over them. As they walked down the halls together, Genji began to recognize the hallways once again, regaining confidence in where his location was.

“Have you ever been to the greenhouse we have here at the headquarters?” He suddenly heard Angela ask, only to slowly shake his head in response.

She gasped a little, lips parted barely, her bottom out in a cute pout. “I need to show you.”

Genji let out a soft laugh as he was led through the maze of hallways that was this gigantic facility, shortly reaching a white, metal door. The only other color to it being a silhouetted outline of a leaf done in green. How minimalist.

The doctor swiped her card, watching the door swiftly open before looking back at Genji, her hand beckoning for him to follow her in.

He followed her commander and stepped into the house with her, taken with how cool the air felt on his skin, not to mention the pleasant earthy smell that seeped past his visor and into his nostrils. It was like walking outside after a fresh rainstorm. There were many species of plants that seemed to occupy the facility. From trees to shrubs, flowers to ferns, colors ranging from bland to vibrant, edible to inedible, the diversity was endless.

“Although botany is not something I was ever particularly interested in, Overwatch does research plants for their use in medicine, not to mention discoveries in DNA.” Angela said as she walked beside him, smiling at the way she watched Genji’s head turn at every possible angle.

“It is truly remarkable.” He said sighing at the vegetation. It had been too long since he had seen such lush plant life. He was always treated to the garden he had at his own estate. Among the cherry trees that blossomed in spring, there were a multitude of colorful flowers and mountains of shrubbery. Some of his favorites being the pale blue hydrangeas that opened for all to see in the last summer. “I am glad you showed me this. Thank you.”

Angela’s heart warmed instantly, nodding at the other as she moved to lace her fingers together in front of her waist. “Of course, Genji.”

They spent the rest of the night walking through the greenhouse, chatting idly about whatever came to their minds. The hours passed felt like nothing until it was too late, yawns leaving their mouths every other sentence that left their mouths.

“I—” Angela started, only to be interrupted with a soft yawn that escaped her stretching mouth, her hand moving to cover it immediately. “—think it’s time for bed.” Taking her hand away from her mouth, moving it to wipe away the tears that gathered at the corners of her eyes.

Genji nodded in agreement, standing from his spot on the floor, in turn helping Angela up as well. They left the building soon enough, the clicking of their feet echoing down the empty halls, leaving them both feeling eerie. Their feet stopped in the middle of the cross-section of the dormitory wings, both living in separate wings. Genji living in the North, Angela in the West. They exchanged their goodbyes and went down their separate wings, Angela waving shyly at the other before she walked down her own wing.

The cyborg walked down his hallway after, waving goodbye back. No one would see the incredible smile he wore under his faceplate as he made his way back to his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahaha, hey! So another late update I know. But December has been so busy. I appreciate the comments I got from last chapter. It really means a lot. I wanted to put out a chapter so bad before the new year. I hope you all had a merry christmas and you'll definitely see another chapter in January!
> 
> Thanks!


	6. Something's Budding

“Okay, Angela. Show us what you’ve got.” The commanding voice of Strike Commander Morrison traveled through the room, ringing within the doctor’s ears as she was proudly displaying and wearing her Valkyrie suit. Angela beamed at him as she walked forward, looking at not just him but the other commander too Ana, joined by Reinhardt and even Torbjorn. All present except for Commander Reyes, away on a mission.

She held back a giggle when the Swedish man gave her a quick thumbs-up and a wink as a show of good luck. Finally, taking in a deep breath, she looked forward towards the small obstacle course, a burlap dummy laid onto the ground as show of medical distress. Smiling at the others, she took her few steps forward before announcing her words proudly.

“The swift-response Valkyrie suit was designed to help those in great distress in a quick amount of time, out in the battle field and areas of chaos where I can both protect myself and the injured.” Her feet quickly maneuver over a balance beam well, her legs pushing against the ground into a great jump, her wings splaying out beautifully, allowing her to hover over the mud. The display made her look absolutely angelic. She wouldn’t argue, Angel is a part of her name. Though she would never compare herself to one. Angela made mistakes just like everyone else.  The claps she heard from her advisors only did spur her on when she landed and no matter how hard she tried to deny how satisfying it was, she couldn’t. Angela continued to traverse through the course with a grin on her face.

“As demonstrated, the Valkyrie’s wings allow me to float and hover, but there is a limit to everything. The armor that protects me is light and durable, so even in great states in peril, I will remain safe.” She continued, dodging arrows and darts, her arms moving in the direction of some, watching and hearing the satisfying clinking of metal and thud of useless weaponry.

With the dummy in sight, she rushing over to it and kneeled down, wrapping her arm around it and holding it up. She almost faltered in her performance as she was brought back to the memory of Genji holding onto her, clinging to life hard and unyielding, as he refused to let go and die. She remembered it all. The way he was coated with a veneer of sweat and blood, so broken and wounded. Her brows furrowed for a split second at the memory, before she snapped back to reality and activated a feature of her suit by pressing a on the side of her waist. A soft hiss was heard as a compartment opened to reveal emergency supplies. “And when I arrive to the wounded, I am prepared to help them.” Her head lifted so she can smile at her superiors, all standing to give her a round of applause.

“Angela, that was incredible. How long have you been working on this?” Morrison asked, absolutely blown away with her performance. He walked over and held out a hand to her, an offer to help her off the ground. She took it, grasping his hand and pulling herself up and onto her feet.

“It is a shame he could be here to see you demonstrate it.” Morrison added, pulling his hand away and giving her a smile. “With this, you will be a great addition to upcoming missions in the future.”

Ana and Reinhardt stood up to congratulate her as well. She burst out into giggles when Reinhardt scruffed up her bangs, then felt warm with Ana give her a quick peck on the cheek. Then Torbjörn got up and marched over to her, hugging her tightly and lighting her up powerfully, shaking her from side to side making everyone in the room laugh loudly.

Angela took a deep breath with she was let down, holding onto Reinhardt's arm as she caught her breath. “He knocked the air right out of me…!” Strange too, that was usually his job, not Torbjörn's.

Torbjörn gave out a hearty laugh, only moving to smack her back. Angela couldn’t help but wobble a little at the force of it, holding onto Reinhardt's arm tighter. He laughing and just hugged her again, a little softer than the first. “I cannot help it ‘m just so proud of you!”

Reinhardt laughed heartily, smacking his back with a hard slap as he smirked at the Swede. “You can be proud all you want ya drawf, just don’t kill her. We need her out in the field.” He only smirked more when Torb let go to cross his arms, grumpily mumbling about how he’s _not a drawf_.

Angela laughed happily at the comradery, her Strike Commander shooting her a proud wink, making her shiver with pride. Ana was looking well and even though Torbjörn was angry for that short amount of time, he was back to himself in no time. As reluctant as she was to leave the group, she found herself pulling away, drawing their eyes onto her. She smiled nervously as she took a few more steps back. “I would love to stay but I have a previous engagement…” That certainly earned her some confused looks before Torbjörn moved forward to most likely taunt her (though everyone knew that wasn’t unusual for him to tease the young Swiss doctor).

“You wouldn’t happen to be goin’ on date now, would you?” He gave her a small smirk as he crossed his arms. 

She hummed as she crossed her hands behind her back. “Me? On a date? I’m much too busy for such things. I’m merely checking up on someone, seeing on how they are doing.”

“A likely story.”

“I would love to stay and chat, but I must be going.” She grinned and hurried back to her lab before anyone could say anything.

 

It was a lazy morning for Genji Shimada. He was in bed, lying down motionless as he stared at the wall beside him. There were no protocols to train with anyone today. He wasn’t hungry either. The cyborg just remained under his covers as he thought back to his life the past few months. Soon enough, his eyes grew heavy and head began to throb with an ache he only blamed himself for. There was no use thinking about the past, but that’s all he found himself thinking about.

His aching body turned and he found himself sitting up, his cybernetic legs hanging off the edge. Dark eyes loomed over the sight of himself, his metallic hands moving to drag from his knees to the tips of his toes.

The memory was still strong. The pain of the sharp katana slashing at him at an angle, losing both of his lower legs right at the joint that connected them to his knees. Cutting bone and slicing muscle, he well onto his back, with the air knocked right out of him. He remembered the salt and iron he tasted on his lips. The heat bubbling from his eyes as tears streaming from them, from the immense pain. And then he was left to die…

There was a knocking on his door that snapping him back to reality, a shudder running through his spine as he shook his head, forcing himself to smile as whoever was behind it. His legs moved to step on the carpeted floor beneath him, before walking himself to the door, his hand pressing up against the reading monitor. The door slid open, revealing it to be no one else but Angela. His smile dropped a little, not to frown, but to a sigh of relief. He smiled just barely as he stepped aside to let her into the room, not forgetting about their meeting today. The other smiled brightly and walked in. The cyborgs eyes, this time not hidden behind his visor, were examining her figure. She was wearing a lab coat over what looked like a skin tight black body suit. Something he remembered her telling him about while working on her Valkyrie response suit.

Then it hit him.

“You demonstrated your suit to the commanders today?”

She turned around to smile at him brightly, nodding. “I did. How did you know?”

“Well I recognized your—well, I’m not sure what you call it—but, it’s there I can see it.” He makes a gesture to his own neck, watching at how Angela moves her hands over her own, feeling the slick textile of the suit. She laughed softly and nodded once more.

“Oh, right, right. Of course. I’d forgotten entirely. I didn’t have time to change completely, I wanted to arrive on time. But I got what you wanted.” She reached into the pocket of her coat, pulling out an electric trimmer.

The cyborg smiled and began to release his helmet from his suit, his green locks falling down, the roots a jet black. He brushed the long locks from his eyes. “I need my hair cut. Make it as short as you can.”

She let out a small giggle as he looked over at him, nodding in agreement. “I believe you do. Now come.”

Genji watched as she pulled the chair away from his desk into the center of the small room, stepping away to grin at the other. “Now take a seat, Mr. Shimada. You are in the best barber shop in town.” She laughed a little more, cheeks flushing at the small joke she made, hoping it would bring a smile to his face.

It did. Genji couldn’t help but let out a small breath of amusement at the gesture. He made his way over to the chair, letting his hair fall back and out of his face. He looked up at Angela who was staring down at him, offering her a small smile.

She cleared her throat and smiled back, patting her hot cheeks slightly before pressing her hand against his forehead and pushing the stray strands back along with the rest. Her thumb moved to switch on the clippers, buzzing off piece by piece, starting at the front of his scalp. This went on for several minutes, green hair falling onto the carpet below them. Genji’s eyes were closed as Angela continued to buzz off each inch by inch section. Her hands slowed as she started to focus on his face, at how peaceful he looked. Blue eyes followed the flow of each scar. All from a different direction, perhaps a different weapon. Her free hand moved to gently cup the side of his face, her thumb moving gingerly rubbing his jaw.

Genji’s eyes darted open at the sudden contact, staring straight up at Angela. He felt clipper move away from his scalp, the two of them just continuing to stare at the other. Genji felt his cheeks warm at the intimacy, only to close his eyes again and tilt his face toward her hand, his lips pressing against her fingers. He could feel Angela flinch just a little under him, but she didn’t dare take her hand away. She just moved the hand that held the clippers back and continued to work on his hair, shedding away the vibrant locks.

“Your hair was always so soft. It makes me sad I have to do this.”

Genji opened his eyes and tilted his hand back to look up at her, only to see her looking away as she works, cheeks burning red. He thought back to the first time they met, an unfortunate set of circumstances, but he would never forget the way she held him close, her lithe fingers curling into the swept back neon that was his hair.

“Maybe you can wear your hair down more…until mine grows back. Then I can feel how soft yours is.”

She looked back at him and smiled, nodding at him. “Okay. But when I’m working I have to put it back up.”

“Then just keep it down around me.”

The doctor uttered a small, flustered laugh, nodding again. “I will.”

Angela was just about half way down before Genji moved to look up at her again. “When did you come Overwatch? Why did you decide to join? How did they find you?”

She laughed a little and smiled down at him. “You really want to know?”

Genji nodded, his lips curling up, just a little, in curiosity.

“Well. I’ll just start from the beginning. When I was a little girl, I lost both of my parents in the first omnic war. This was in Switzerland by the way. I am from there. And to think we have our headquarters here in my country, it is crazy to me.” She laughed sadly to herself as she continued to buzz away Genji’s hair.

“Anyway, yes, I was a war orphan. So, I went to live with my grandparents. I grew up with them and attended a private school. I excelled in all of my math and science courses. When I grew older, I realized I had a passion for biology and medical research. So, I dedicated my time and efforts to helping people, especially those wounded from war, since that is how I lost my parents. I didn’t want anyone else to lose family members like I did.

“I was known as a prodigy within my school. My work, which I won’t get into right now since it is complicated, earned me grants and recognition. Even recognition from the elite task force Overwatch. They saw my work and employed me as one of the youngest members of their research team. I actually joined right around the same time Jesse McCree did.” He heard a small huff of amusement from her, causing him to look up at her, seeing the smile she held on her face. It had to be about Jesse.

Genji couldn’t help but laugh a little himself, smiling more. “What? What tell me.”

“Wellllll, alright, since you insist.” She laughed more, her hand moving through the soft bristles that were now Genji’s hair, brushing away the small scraps of hair, making sure the length was even.

“Like I said, Jesse and I joined around at the same time. Both for different reasons. I joined as a part of their education program. Jesse joined as a bargain. Blackwatch, that is. He used to be in a gang called Deadlock. So when Gabriel was sent on a mission to disband the gang, he saw that Jesse was just a kid. Took him in. We were brought in on the same day. He’s changed so much. I’ve changed so much. He's still just as flirty though.” He felt her smile at the last statement, making him smile too.

“How old were you when you first joined?”

“Oh, me? I was 17, so was Jesse actually. Now I’m almost 19. So I’ve been a part of Overwatch for just about two years now. Next month will be my two-year anniversary with the organization. It has grown so much since I’ve joined.”

There was a certain tone in her voice that he couldn’t read, but he didn’t think too much into it. If it was about Overwatch, he already figured it was a corrupt organization now with the raw deal he got.

It didn’t take much longer after than before Angela pulled both hands away and sighed softly. “There. You look nice! Let’s go look in the mirror.” She circled around to meet his face, hands moving forward and take his, pulling him out of the chair and into the bathroom. The light was switched on, flickering to the fluorescent white he had grown used to.

Genji’s eyes moved up to view the mirror, looking at his reflection as his hands moved to glide over the buzz cut he had received from Angela. It was a clean and even cut. It would be easier to put his helmet back on. No one would see the green that he had dyed when he was still living in Japan. But this wasn’t any better. He didn’t look like himself. He didn’t feel like himself. The metallic hands were never warm against his flesh skin. They dragged down from his scalp to his face, tracing over his scars before it dropped back to his side, limp and useless for the moment.

He briefly saw Angela’s face morph from content to concerned, pouted lips parting to speak. “Do you not like it? I thought I did a pretty good job…”

The cyborg turned around and quickly shook his head. “No, no that’s not it. I just thought…I thought I would feel different with my green hair being gone but…I don’t. Nothing has changed. I still look like…well like this—” His hands moved to gestured his entire body from head to toe, brows knitting together in frustration before he turned to look at his reflection once more.

“My skin used to be perfect. I was whole. Now I’m scarred and broken. My right arm is the only part of me that is truly intact, isn’t it? But who knows how long I will have that. When I go to Hanamura to disband the Shimada-gumi...who knows what will happen…”

“Genji…” Her hand moved to his shoulder, gripping it tightly in an effort to comfort him. “Look at me.”  

He turned around and looked at her, eyes tired. Eyes scan her face, only making the other smile wider at him. Tender. Gentle. His stomach lifted at the warmth he felt from her gaze.

"I think you look very handsome..." She said softly, averting her eyes to side. He was so taken aback by the comment. To think she thought that way about him despite everything that was wrong. Perhaps she didn't think there was, but she didn't know how he looked before all this. 

“Angela…” He sighed, warmth in his voice. His fingers twitched a little at her sides, itching to touch her again. “I remember you saying right before the initial operation.” He paused for a moment to take the other hand into both of his, his metal fingers moving her gentle, flesh ones. “You said: ‘I’m here Genji”. I still remember. I still remember seeing you looming over me before I slipped away into unconsciousness.”

Angela’s cheeks flushed a dark red, shrinking back against the wall as she moved the hand that was on his shoulder away and onto her face. Trying to hide her embarrassment, it moved from her cheek to her forehead before finally settling on covering her eyes, the shade of red only saturating. “Oh goodness…i-it was nothing, I swear…I was worried and—“

Genji pulled the hand he held towards his mouth, delicately brushing his lips against the silky, smooth skin, immediately silencing the doctor. “Was it like a promise? Because you are always here.” He squeezed her hand gently. “Thank you for always being here.”

She felt as though her knees were about to give out from beneath her when she felt Genji’s lips against her skin again. Her stomach churned and twisted with the new intimacy that seemed to blossom between them. The hand that was covering her eyes moved to grip the edge of the counter, slowly bringing her head up to look at the other.

He looked so content. Content with holding her hand like that. She hoped that he couldn’t hear the pounding of her heart against her chest. It wasn’t long before Genji looked back at her, a small smile forming on his lips.

He was beautiful.

“O-Of course. You know, it’s my job…!” She finally managed to stammer out to the other.

“I think it’s more than just that.” He stated, bringing her hand down from his lips but not letting go. She had never been more relieved.

She felt the heat from her cheeks travel up her to her ears and down to her neck, suddenly too hot to even be in the skin tight suit she was sporting. All under a lab coat too! “I-I…I’m much too flustered to say—”

“Say what?” He asked, leaning forward to close some of the distance between them.

Angela could feel her heart leap into her throat, making her choke on whatever words she was about to mutter. Her brows furrowed slightly as she swallowed thickly, her ever fast thinking slowed to a stop as she is at a loss for words. Just as she gently opens her mouth, the ever present silence sharply cut through by the buzzing and beeping coming from Angela’s communicator.

Genji could hear the other murmur a soft ‘excuse me’ before reaching into her left pocket and grab her thin holocaster communicator. He took a few steps back and leaned against the edge of the marble granite counter, his lips falling into a small frown as he watched Angela open the message. What bad timing.

A blue projection was displayed of what appeared to be the software’s logo before the audio played. A soft, robotic voice began to speak from the communicator.

“Angela. You are requested to the medical bay in the North Wing. Many agents from the recent Blackwatch mission have been injured. They require your medical assistance.”

“Got it Athena,” Angela sighed. “Are Agent Jesse McCree and Commander Reyes okay?”

“Just a moment, please.” The logo was replaced with a searching icon, searching the system records of both agents. Or at least, that is what Genji assumed was happening.

“There are no reports of any injuries from Commander Reyes and Agent McCree.”

Angela sighed softly in relief, nodding again. “Got it. Let the medical bay know that I am on my way.”

“Sending message… … … …Sent. Thank you, Dr. Zeigler.”

Her fingers moved to switch off the communicator before slipping it into her pocket once more. She looked up at Genji, her hands moving to brush off the stray pieces of hair that fell onto his shoulders. He felt himself sigh, meeting her bright eyes with his dark ones.

“Do you really have to go?”

He could hear her swallow again as she pulled her hands back to her sides, nodding. Even though he couldn’t feel their warmth through all the synthetics on his body, he still felt cold without them. “If you really must. Thank you, again, for doing this for me.”

“It’s no trouble, Genji. But now I must go.” She walked towards the door, stopping right at the frame. Genji could feel his stomach dip and lift. Her head turned and she looked over her shoulder, smiling softly at him, sending a shudder up his spine. That smile did things to him.

She just stared at him, smile dropping just a little. He stared back. Watching at how those perfect lips were about to part and say something, something meaningful, without a doubt, but her gaze moved off of him and towards the frame of the door again. Genji felt his brows furrow at the sight, the sight of the train on the track in her mind switching tracks, returning to the task that was on hand. Her request to the medical bay. Clicks of her heels echoed through the eerily silent room, then was replaced by the hissing and releasing of the door, allowing her to depart.

He felt cold and empty, his stomach hollow and hurting without food and feeling to fill it. The cyborg’s hand retraced the spot where he had felt her silky touch not too long ago.

***

Yards away from Genji’s room, Angela stopped abruptly to press her hands against her cheeks, feeling the heat radiate off her and through her fingers. She replayed the moment over and over in her head. The moment he pressed his lips against her fingers. The doctor pulled her fingers away to look at them, eyes on the tiny, faint blond hairs and crinkles in her knuckles she had stared at many a time before.

“Would it be so bad if..” She muttered under her breath, to no one but herself as she pressed her own lips against the same spot Genji had his own. She sighed softly against her skin, savoring the feint ghost feeling of his slightly chapped lips. Heat arose on her cheeks, realizing how embarrassed she was being. Her hands moved to slightly slap her cheeks before resuming her walk to the med bay.

There was no time to day dream. She had people to help.

It wasn’t before long she arrived, hearing sighs of relief and small cheers as she slapped on her medicinal gloves. She felt her heart swell at the level of appreciation she felt from the other agents.

“Now, now don’t cheer yet. I have yet to stitch up your wounds.” Angela said, reveling in the feeling of being wanted and needed.

It was hours well spent in the medical bay stitching wounds, applying bandages and prescribing pain medication. She even penciled down a few prosthetic designs for men and women that unfortunately lost their limbs during the several missions they were on. Thank you’s and smiles were exchanged as she whirled around the rooms, making sure every Blackwatch agent was getting the care they deserved. It wasn’t long before their commander graced their presence by checking in on his recruits hours later.

“Angela. How are my maggots doin’?”

She scoffed slightly, crossing her arms to her chest as she shot him a look of distain over her shoulder. “They aren’t maggots, Gabriel. They work and fight hard under you. Perhaps you should thank them some time.”

He batted his hands dismissively as he scowled, eyes scanning each solider in the perimeter. “They could use a lesson or two. Teach them a lesson or two about fightin’.”

“That’s just cruel.”

“Life is cruel.”

Lacking a reply, Gabriel had won the battle. Darn, his cunningness. Just he wait, she would get the upper hand over him some day.

The commander loosely wrapped his arm around her shoulder, walking out towards the exit of the medical bay. Before any of the other doctors could protest he held up his hand, informing them to stand down as he guided Angela into the hallway. She hummed softly as they walked in silence for a little while. They walked like this occasionally, often wishing she could have had the chance to walk like this with her own father. But, Gabriel was a nice fill in.

“You shouldn’t work so hard, chica.” The older man grumbled under his breath. “Last thing I need is another workaholic on my hands, ya know?”

She took in a deep breath, chest rising and then falling with her exhale. “I wish I didn’t have to. But I don’t mind it in the slightest.”

“I just don’t want you to lose yourself.”

“What do you mean?” Her stomach churned with new found anxiety. The last thing she wanted was to push people away. Torbjörn, Reinhardt, Fareeha, Ana and Jack. Gabe and Jesse. _Genji_.

“I mean I don’t want you to have work be the main focus in your life. I want you to have fun with your friends. Relax and learn when to say no so you can have time for yourself too. Not just work. Not just research. You’re 19, right?”

She looked up at the other and nodded, smiling shyly. “Almost...”

His jaw dropped and grinned widely at the other, shoving her with his hip to throw her off balance. She laughed and clung to his chest, regaining herself as they continued to walk down the hall. “You turning 19 soon!? Damn, chica when were you gonna remind me?”

A soft gasp fell from Angela’s lips as she placed her hand on her chest in mock offense. “Remind you? Real friends wouldn’t need a reminder.”

“Oh quit your cryin’. You’re lucky I have half a mind to do something for ya in the first place, doctor. Do you know how busy I am?”

“Now that’s the pot calling the kettle black!” She cried, wagging her finger at him before laughing softly. “Did I get Jesse’s southernisms right?”

He laughed back and nodded, grinning widely. “Perfect impression.”

Angela laughed happily and looked out onto the hall, seeing familiar doors before realizing she was in her dormitory wing. Color flushed from her face when she caught onto the commander’s plan. Pulling her away from work! She was going to get into so much trouble. Turning and twisting in an attempt to scramble out of his large arms, it was a struggle to say the least. Ultimately, it was no use as his strength pinned her back to his side, earning him a huff and an indignant scowl.

“This is it, huh?” He stopped in front of her door smirking widely.

Angela kicked and squirmed within his grip, shaking her head. “No—No, No, Nein—”

“Oooh, haven’t heard German slip out of you in a while. You must really be frustrated.” He only laughed as he heard her grumble, rummaging through his pocket to pull out his access card, holding it up to Angela’s door monitor. It scanned the identification card, during green to allow Gabriel access to her room, finally letting go of her before rushing out of the room.

“W-Wait…! Gabe!” She ran towards the entrance, only to have it slide shut in her face. “Wh—” She pressed her face up against the door and whined, overhearing Gabe’s maniacal laughter.

“Athena. System lock on Room N114. Monitor Doctor Zeigler’s vitals and don’t let her out until she’s gotten a full eight, blissful hours of sleep.”

Athena’s synthetic voice rang through her ear drums, soothing but incredibly annoying in this situation. “Okay, Commander Reyes. Commencing lock down.”

“NooooOOOOO!” Angela whined as she melted down onto the floor, pouting to herself. Well if it was sleep he wanted from her, who was she to deny him?

***

It was days later. To nearly everyone's knowledge the angel was away and resting, but the sparrow was loud and awake.

Blow after blow, he managed to block every one coming from Ana Amari. He smirked a little as he took a few steps back, scanning her form as they circled around the mat. The stigma that surrounded him about a few weeks ago was just about gone, finding himself happily training with not just Morrison and Amari, but the other agents as well. Though, he had to say sparring with Amari was his favorite. Strong and beautiful, elegance poured from her very being with every blow she threw at him. He could tell she was going easy on him with the calculated eyes that scanned his every being.

The cyborg stopped and let out a metallic sigh, rolling his head around his neck. “Commander Amari must you always go easy on me.” Rising his fists to her, the smirk behind his mask only got wider.

“I can take it.”

She cracked her knuckles then her neck, smirking back at him as if she could see right through him. In hindsight, she probably could.

“Alright Agent Shimada. Let’s fight. For real.” Her voice was stern and powerful and she lunged forward, throwing a few punches that easily broke through Genji’s defenses, hitting him right on his left shoulder and square in the chest.

They were powerful, calculated, and amazing. Genji almost stumbled off his feet before he planted them against the mat once more, regaining his form as he tried not to pant. It was hard to give the idea to other fighters that he wasn’t exhausted, but the release and hissing of his cybernetics taking air into his heated body ruined the illusion.

His cheeks flushed with embarrassment before squaring his shoulders and straightening his back, eyeing up her form as the circled around the mat again.

“So Shimada, just going to stall until I get tired or something?” She let out a small condescending laugh as she brushed her long, dark hair away from her chest and behind her back.

The eyes behind his visor narrowed as that was the opening he was looking for, grabbing her moving arm, quickly circling around to pin it behind her back, using his strength to push her body up and forward so she couldn’t get out of his grip easily. “Perhaps you shouldn’t be so smug, Commander.” Genji said, smug in his own tone as he pinned her other arm against her back next.

Then he heard shuffling of feet beneath him. He looked down to observe what was going on, only to see that Amari’s legs spread into a wide form, planting them to the ground before she used her weight to push back against Genji, making them both land backward, only Genji landing on his back. The air was so suddenly knocked out of him he couldn’t help but let go of Amari and gasp.

She powerfully moved out of his grasp and leaned back to get ready to finish him. Readying her elbow, she got into position and smirked down at the cyborg below him.

“This’ll hurt just a bit, Agent Shimada.”

The infamous Amari incentive that has been rumored among the agents. He even recalls Jesse rubbing his arms from soreness whenever he has sparred with the commander.

It couldn’t be anything he could not handle.

He turned his head to the side (a habit he could not break as of yet), about to clench his eyes shut only to have them widen in surprise when he sees Dr. Zeigler walk in with a little girl. Dark-skinned and beautiful and uncannily familiar in a way he could not pin point.

“Angela…” He muttered softly under his breath, the imminent danger before him out of his mind as he focused on the doctor walking towards him and his commander. She always seemed to be in the right place at the right time, taking his breath away with each encounter.

“Angela?” Amari repeated before she tore her gaze away from Genji. "Back already?" Looking up and away from him, she could only laugh happily when she saw the little girl running towards her, hugging her leg tightly. 

She picked up the little girl into her arms, peppering her cheeks with kisses. The sight was tender and happy to look at. The way the little girl squirmed around in her mother’s arms in attempts to stop her, shouting to stop despite leaning in closer, smaller hands curling into the fabric of her collar.

Perhaps she was embarrassed that she was getting kissed in front of the “bigger kids”.

His chest tightened as he continued to watch only to relax when Amari reached down to hold out her hand to him. Grasping it, he was soon pulled back up and onto his feet, staring at the little girl before him.

“Apologies, Shimada. Perhaps we can continue training at a different time. Right now it looks like it is mommy-daughter time.”

“Ah. That explains the uncanny resemblance.” He turned his head to look down at her, noticing her shrinking against her mother by the sight of Genji.

“ _Fareeha_.” Ana said sternly, her eyes darting from Genji, then back to her daughter. “Were you a good girl for Angela?” She asked, avoiding the obvious elephant between the four that witnessed that.

She nodded before giving her a huffy pout, crossing her arms against her chest. “Yessss, mom. I don’t know why I need a babysitter. I’m thirteen and I—” The child squirmed around in her arms, gripping her shoulders and leaning back in an exasperated manner. “Don’t need to be held like a baby!”

Angela couldn’t help but giggle at the sight, only causing Fareeha to stop her squirming and sit back up in her mother’s arms, hiding her presumably flushed face against the crook of her neck. Her words were muffled against the skin and fabric, making Ana laugh.

“What was that, sweetie?”

She pulled away and rubbed her hands against her eyes, whining softly. “You’re embarrassing me in front of _Angela_ , mom!”

Soft laughter fluttered out of both the commander and the doctor, only furthering Fareeha’s embarrassment.

Genji couldn’t help but feel like his nerves were plucked at deliberately. Too annoyed to appreciate Angela’s happy giggling, he narrowed his eyes at the child, thankful that no one could see him no one could see his expression behind his mask. What did the _8-year-old_ want to impress Angela for? As if she would even care about her actions. Exhaling through his nose, he figured that he was being immature about it. A harmless school girl crush was all it had to be, if that was it at all.

Angela was brilliant and beautiful. He didn’t blame the child for wanting to amaze the doctor.

But that position was held by him and only him.

Amari’s small huff of appreciation broke him out of his thoughts, grounding him back to reality. “Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to babysit her, Angela. I really appreciate it. I’ll have to find some way to repay you.”

“Oh, noooo.” The doctor said, dragging out the ‘o’ in an adorable manner as she waved her hands. “Do not think anything of it. Besides, I'm really returning to work now. Gabriel forced me to relax now I have piles of stuff that needs to be done.”

The other just smirked, finally letting down Fareeha on the ground. "Better get to it then, we don't need you slacking off now!"

They shared a laugh together before she set the younger Amari down onto the floor. It wasn't long before Fareeha gripped her mother’s hand tightly, looking up at Genji but then looking away immediately. He could feel his eye twitch, frustration boiling within him.

 _If you don’t like the way I look, how the hell do you think I feel_ , he shouted at her in his mind.

“I’ll think of something, Zeigler. Mark my words.” They embraced before Amari left with her daughter, leaving the cyborg and doctor along together.

“It would seem you are always popping up at the right place in the right time.” Genji said softly, turning to look at her.

“Hm…?” She looked off in thought before realizing what he had meant, laughing softly. “I remember watching it about to unfold.”

He smiled softly, hoping gratitude carrying into his robotic tone as he spoke. “There have been more instances, this is just one of them. It is like you are my guardian angel, looking over me to make sure I am safe.”

“Th-That’s hardly—” She cleared her throat and looked away shyly, her fingers pushing back her bangs as she refused to look at him.

Genji’s chest tightened at the sight, smiling just a little as he inched closer to her. “Are you really that busy? I just thought if you weren’t maybe we could—” His nervously moved towards her free hand, almost curling his pinky with hers. He ached to touch her again. To have her touch him with her soft hands just like she did with his hair and his face. 

His finger bumped against hers, curling around to grip it only to watch her turn and twist away from him. The cyborg’s eyes widened at the sight, feeling his heart sink immediately.

“I-I’m sorry, Genji. I really have lots of work to do. But not on Friday—I’ll be free all day and I’ve been meaning to hang out with you and just talk.”

 _Talk_ , he wondered feeling his stomach rise and fall all at the same time. _About what?_

“Oh, yes. I didn’t mean to pull you away from your duties.” He sighed, taking a few steps back from her. As he brought his head to look up at the other, planning to say a goodbye, he was pulling into a tight embrace. Genji’s arms moved to hold her tightly, hands pressed against his back, even going as far as to curl into the fabric of her lab coat. He watched her words fall from her mouth before he got a chance to hear them. Everything was happening much too fast for him to process.

Even with his tightened grip, she managed to pull free from him, leaving the cyborg spinning. He followed her trail with his eyes, his heart leaping into his throat as she saw him look back at him with a warm smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Yes, it's been a while. I've been working hard to churn out this chapter since school started up against. I've been so busy. And I worked so much. But I'm glad to be posting a chapter right now. I hope you like it. Let me know what you think. I'm hoping to work on the next one and have it out by the end of this month. But don't hold your breath weeps. 
> 
> I just love the fluffy character development and Genji's mission isn't going to happen for a few more chapters. I'm really excited to write that. For now, enjoy him struggling and getting even more comfortable with Angela ;w; and more Angela interactions too!
> 
> Anyway, if you want to get in touch with me off of Ao3, I have a tumblr. Same username aka ladysami.tumblr.com 
> 
> Thanks for reading and all the nice comments. Smooches.


	7. Time for a Talk

The rain fell down in large, cool droplets all around the base. It was the perfect opportunity to give the agents a well-deserved break. Genji sat with his back pressed against the white dry wall, watching the rain from out his window. His hand pressed up against the cool glass, eyes wandering over the mesh of the covering that was littered with droplets, before looking at his own hand. Even after all this time it still felt so unfamiliar. The cyborg felt himself sigh through his nose, his body rotating so he could face the door.

He would have to meet Angela soon. It was Friday afternoon and she would be finishing up with her lab work any time soon.

 _Perhaps it would be a good idea to make my way to her room then_ , he wondered, not making an effort to lift himself off from his spot on his bed.

There was a sickening feeling churning in his stomach that prevented him from doing what he wanted. The indication that Angela wanted to _talk_ sent an unsettling shiver down his spine. His throat tightened as his mind threw all the possibilities at him, each more unpleasant than the last.

He swallowed thickly, leaning over to grab for his faceplate, clasping it into place. He felt himself relax, metallic fingertips moving over at the metal surface that hid his face. It was his protection. Often times he felt himself disassociate behind that mask. No one can see his expressions. No one could tell what he was thinking. The only hint they had was his voice, which was often quiet and monotone they couldn’t hope to tell what was running through that head of his.

It was never anything good. Self-doubt and regret oozed out of every pore of his face and his modified body brought him such disdain, every waking moment filled him with dysphoria only furthered when he looked in the mirror before he got dressed. Often times he wishes he would sleep with the face plate on, but such a task would be more than uncomfortable.

But then there was Angela.

He sighed again at the thought of her. She distracted him from thinking about himself. When she was around, all he could think about is her. Her smile, her touch and much more. It made him forget about everything. He remembered feeling hollow and empty whenever she left, always leaving him with the feeling of something more to be desired.

Fingers curled into the fabric of his bed, staring down at the denim carpet below him. His head throbbed with pain at the intense thought, stopping himself from mulling over what it could have possibly meant.

Genji finally lifted his body from the couch, hands brushing off whatever could be on the clothing that surrounded his shoulders and body before he made his way towards his door. Smoothly gliding his hand over the reader, the metal door slid open, revealing the empty hallway to him. Coolly, he left his room and strode down the hall, hands buried deep into the Overwatch branded hoodie he often wore on days off like these.

The door shut behind him, briefly blocking out the sound of the hard fall of rain against the rooftops. 

The storm’s pleasant symphony couldn’t relax him like it normally could. His footsteps were heavy, dragging him down as thoughts swarmed and filled his head so full he felt like he was drowning. Often times he had to remind himself to breathe, gasping and panting lowly against his breath. Pins opens and closed to allow air to circulate into his utterly wrecked body. He was getting close and anxiety weighed down against him as if he were carrying two tons against his back.

A continuous, aching thought ate away at his psyche. 

 _She pities you_.

Genji shook his head in attempt to dislodge the thought from his mind, brows knitting together in frustration.

 _Why else would she say all of those things? She doesn’t really care_.

His bottom lip worried as he shook his head again, more violent that the last. A small huff of anger blew from his nose, pushing through the heaviness that dragged him down.

Not today.

It didn’t take more than a couple of minute to make it to Angela’s room. The cyborg’s feet stopped square in front of her door, knocking on it a few times. As he waited, his dark eyes darted around the hallway, aiming to look at anything but the door. His posture slouched slightly too, the fear that churned his stomach creeping up to tighten his chest.  She could still be working or maybe she was held back overtime or—

The door slid open quickly, the cyborg straightening immediately to see Angela.

There was no lab coat. No work clothes. Hair wasn’t up. None of the signs that she was working hard in the medical bay or her laboratory today. Her hair was down, bangs. Her brow was relaxed and the smile she held was shy like usual but something felt different. Like she was finally free to do whatever she wanted and the weight of her usual work wasn’t resting on her shoulders and straining her. His eyes wandered down (thankful his faceplate was on as to not get caught) to catch what she was wearing. Comfortable and cute to say the least. A white sweater and soft denim jeans. Even some pale blue slippers to wear around her room. She looked cute.

“Genji! Please, please come in. I’m glad you could make it.” Carefully she stepped aside to let him in, grinning more excitedly.

He smiled at the look at her face, the anxiety leaving his body as he stepped into the room, taking his time to look around.

It was like his only the layout of the furniture was different. She supported a slightly bigger bed as well, but that was all that was significantly different.

Quickly, Genji cleared his throat and turned to look at her. “So what did you want to talk about?”

Her hand had just lifted off the identification pad to close her door, her body twisting around to look towards him. “Oh—well I just wanted to talk about…anything. You, me—” A blush began to tint her cheeks pink, blue eyes averting to glance at whatever was left of her. “Us.”

Genji felt his stomach dip and rise, hands immediately moving to remove his faceplate, setting it on her bed. His guard was down for her. “Let us talk then.”

The flush only got darker as she laughed softly, hands moving to brush her hair behind her ears. “I love it when you do that.”

“Do what?” He asked, finding himself smile at her shyness.

“When you take off your mask. I like talking to you face to face.” She moved to sit down besides the mask, delicate fingers moving to pick it up gently. Angela’s thumbs gently grazed at the metal detailing.

His eyes watched her ginger movements before he took a seat next to her. “Does it really mean that much to you?”

She nodded and looked up to meet his dark eyes with blue. “I wouldn’t get to see your smile. Or your pretty eyes.”

This time Genji felt his own cheeks up, fingers twitching just a bit as he fought back the urge to grab his faceplate from her hands and put it back on immediately. He only saw her tighten her grip around it, pulling it closer to her figure.

“Please don’t hide…” She muttered softly. “Sometimes I really wish they never gave you this.”

“But I need it.” He finally said, sighing as his fingers relaxed.

“No you don’t.”

Unwanted feelings bubbled up into his chest as his fingers curled into the fabric of her bedsheets. He turned his head to look at the wall so he wouldn’t have to face her. “How would you know? How could you know? You don’t know how it feels to be like this. To wake up every day hating the way you look. Sometimes I wish it was attached to my body permanently. I wouldn’t have look at myself. I could just live like what I feel like I am. Not human. Not omnic. A nobody.”

He took a deep breath and turned to look at Angela, watching her form quiver and shake as salty droplets hit the faceplate she held.

“Angela—”

“It’s all my fault…If I didn’t find you—you…” She sobbed harder, a heavy flow of tears streamed down her face as she stared down at her lap.

“I would have died Angela…it’s not your fault.” She always comforted him with her touches. Maybe he could do the same? He gently moved his hand through her hair, amazed at how effortlessly it glided alone her fingers, the soft shine falling back into place once his fingers reached the ends of her hair. This seemed to calm her down just a bit, the tears falling much slower than they were before.

“B-But Overwatch…Dr. Blikman…The United Nations. That wouldn’t have happened if—” She was cut off by his fingers against her lips, her eyes staring up at him in flustered confusion.

“None of that is your fault, Angela.” He sighed softly, his hands returning to his sides as he looked down sadly at his lap. “I still regret what I said to you when I was recovering from my first operation. You didn’t deserve any of the blame.”

“You were angry, I understand.”

“But it wasn’t right, Angela. I was wrong. I was wrong to put the blame on you like that. You saved me, I owe you my life.”

“No!” The doctor replied, the palms of her hands rubbing the salt from her eyes. Her head tilted up to look at him, face red and eyes puffy from crying. “You don’t owe me anything. It was my duty. Not as a doctor but as a human being to do the right thing Genji.”

“Exactly. You’re a human being. So stop blaming yourself for something that was out of your hands.” Genji moved to grab her hands into his, gently squeezing them.

“I could have done something. _Anything_.” Angela drew in a shuddering breath, squeezing his hands back. “You’re so unhappy. I never wanted you to feel this way. I just wanted to help you. And look what happened. Overwatch took advantage of you.”

Heat formed at the back of his eyes, squeezing her hands again, tighter than last time. “But they took advantage of you too.”

“How do you know?” She cried softly, staring down at the floral pattern of her bed spread.

“The way those doctors interrupted you and disrespected you. I still remember it. They don’t respect you. They must take you for granted.”

She slowly nodded her head, finally moving to look at him again, stray tears falling and staining her skin. “That hardly matters. I did my job and they got what they wanted. And you’re suffering because of it. Genji, I never wanted this. I just want you to be happy.”

His eyes stung with new found tears that slipped out of the corners, running down his face. “It’s so hard, Angela. It’s so hard to wake up and look at _this_.” The cyborg’s hands pulled out of her grip, gesturing to all of the scars that litter his face. “I was so beautiful. Now look at me.”

“Genji, I look at this face as often as I can and I think you’re beautiful. Not just your face. _All of you._ ”

He turned his head away from her, his tears coming out from his eyes in full force. His body trembled as he refused to look at her. “I don’t believe you.”  

“Why would I lie to you?” She sighed softly, her hands moving to cup his cheeks, forcing him to look at her. “So what you have scars? Synthetic limbs? They don’t make you less of a man. You’re beautiful with or without them.”

Genji felt his eyes clench shut, refusing to look at her as he let out a shaky sigh. “You wouldn’t be saying that if you saw how I looked like before.”

He felt her thumbs rub away the tears that trickled down his face, his eyes creaking open just barely to look at her. Her eyes flooded with liquid before they fell down her face. “But that won’t change my mind. I think you’re so handsome Genji. I don’t care how scarred your body is.” Her fingers gently traced the grooves and lines all over his face. His cheeks, his nose, over his eyebrows and lips and even along his jaw line.

The cyborg relaxed under her touch, sighing contently as he began to lean into her hands. His eyes fluttered closed as they sat in silence, Angela’s fingers mindlessly tracing each scarred pathway on his face. He heard small sobs escape her lips every now and then as she continued.

“No more crying…” His eyes fluttered open to look at her again, hands pushing back the strands of blond that clung to tears and sweat on her cheeks.

She nodded, though she couldn’t help but let out another sob, hands moving to rub at her eyes again. Genji couldn’t help but laugh as she brought her sleeves up to rub her nose too, whining as the harsh fabric scratched the skin. Then she laughed. And then Genji laughed more and Angela laughed more too. They sat on the bed laughing with each other. Angela leaned forward to lean her forehead against his shoulder, and Genji the same with his cheek against her hair. An orchestra of giggles, sniffs, chortles and sighs uttered from both of their lips.

Genji felt the other shift below him, her hands moving to rest on his upper back, breathing softly. He reciprocated by carding his fingers through her hair, catching a whiff of feint vanilla every few moments or so. 

“This doesn’t change anything does it…” Angela curled her fingers into the fabric of Genji’s clothing, swallowing thickly. “You’re still going to wake up hating yourself...”

He didn't answer. A sad sigh was all that uttered past his lips. 

“I wish there was something I can do.” She tightened her grip on her clothes, eyeing welling up with emotion again.

“You already have. You come and see me. You distract me in the very least—it helps. Even if it doesn’t last long.”

“Of course I come and see you. I try as often as I can. Do you have any idea how often I think about you? I care about you so much Genji.” With a single blink, the tears held back by her bottom eyelids pushed out of the corners of her eyes.

“You do?” Genji whispered, his fingers curling into the soft locks of her hair.

Angela nodded, hands grazing up and down his back. “Yes. Whenever I’m working, I’m always thinking about how you’re doing. If you’re doing okay. If you’re doing better.”

“Really?”

Angela nodded against him, further pressing her cheek against the crook of his neck. “I wish there was something I could do to make the pain go away... I never wanted it to be this way Genji…” She looked up as she whispered to not only him but herself. “I thought Overwatch would help you. I thought I could help you. Save you from dying. No one deserves to die. But you’re just a dead man walking instead…” Tears trickled down from the corners of her eyes. “You don’t deserve to feel this way. Feeling trapped and sad and…” She stopped, throat tight and hurting as her eyes clenched shut to release the buildup of liquid that clouded her eyes. “I care about you so much. It hurts me so bad to see you like this.”

“Please don’t cry…”

She flinched at the sudden voice, inhaling sharply. “I c-can’t help it.”

“You are remarkably stubborn…” The cyborg sat up, pulling away from her grip as he moved his hands through her hair. “You know how I feel.”

“I’m not stubborn. I just feel hurt because you do. I care about you so much.” Water continued to flow from her eyes, hands moving to grip his shoulders.

“I care about you a lot too. You really do make me happy, Angela. Now listen to me…please.”

“Yes…?”

“I can’t thank you enough for saving me. I would have died on that day if it weren’t for you. Helpless and alone. My forced recruitment into Overwatch was not your doing. I know what you wanted to do. You didn’t want me to turn into this. In a weapon. I know you didn’t.” He felt her clench her hands at his back and nod. He smiled in turn, his fingers running through her hair comfortingly. “Now please stop being so hard on yourself.

The doctor stifled a small, worn laugh and nodded against him again. “Okay. I’ll try.” She leaned back and sniffed a little, hands rubbing at her face as she sighed.

The tension in his shoulders melted, slumping as he finally relaxed. Genji took the opportunity to push back a part of her hair behind her ear, smiling softly. “Come to think of it, I never get to tell you that I think you’re rather pretty too.”

There it was. The color on her cheeks quickly matched her red eyes, looking down between the two of them, silent and flustered.

Feeling bold, Genji shakily moved his hand to tilt her chin up towards him. He felt the heat rise and radiate off his cheeks, awkwardly shifting closer to Angela. The flush on her cheeks had only darkened, staring up at him with wide eyes as he slowly leaned in close the distance between them. His heart was thumping madly against his chest, praying that his body wouldn’t ruin the moment with whatever bells it whistles it had to regulate his body functions. But that wasn’t necessary as Angela tilted her head away from him at the last moment, panting softly as her fingers curled into her jeans tightly. Genji stopped before he bumped his nose against her cheek, pulling back as his heart sunk deep into the pits of his stomach.

“I’m sorry I didn’t realize—” He began, only to have Angela shake her head wildly.

“N-No. No, no, no, it’s not you I just…” There were a few words muttered under her breath that Genji could barely hear.

“I couldn’t quite catch that, Angela. Could you say that louder. Please?” The cyborg asked, his hand moving to gently rub at her side.

Her eyes clenched shut as she swallowed thickly, contorting to none other than embarrassment. “I said,” She sighed softly as she forced her down and eyes open. “I said I’ve never kissed anyone before.”

“You haven’t? Never?”

“Never.” She whispered lowly, her fingers clenching and unclenching beneath her. “And I want to kiss you so bad…” Somehow she made it seem like it was the most sinful desire with how shy and embarrassed she was at the moment. It was incredibly endearing to Genji and it pulled his heart from out of the depths.

“I want to kiss you too.” He couldn’t help but let out a flustered laugh, his hand moving through her hair again. “I’ll guide you through it, okay?”

“O-Okay…” She looked up at him and smiled, her hands moving to take his.

Genji gently ran his thumbs over his knuckles, squeezing her hands gently. A soft sigh breathed out from her, looking back at him again. Her blue eyes met with his, noticing they were still just the tiniest bit watery from early. His hand moved to graze her cheek, then cupping it, moving his hand back every so gently so he could tilt her head up towards him. Another content sigh left her lips, leaning into his metallic touch. The sight made Genji’s heart stutter and leap into his throat, pulling down some nervousness with it as it floated back down. He drew in a breath and swallowed, leaning towards her in one more. Angela stilled under his touch, her eyes fluttering shut as her lips formed a small pout, willing and ready for his kiss. The nervousness melted away replaced with warmth curling around his cheeks and stomach. Just as he was about to pull away, he felt the other’s lips part ever so slightly, a sudden need burning through him to deepen the kiss.

So he did.

Genji’s arms curled around Angela’s waist, pulling her closer to him as he tilted his head to get good access to her inviting mouth. A small noise escaped from the doctor’s throat, her hands gripping her shoulders as she pressed into him more, shuddering slightly as his tongue ran over her lips and played with her tongue.

It became a little too much for her as she pulled away from him, her hands resting on his chest as she gasped for breath.

He felt his brows furrow slightly at the sight, hoping he hadn’t crossed the line. “Was that too much—”

“No, no…I..h-ha…you’re really good that that…” She finally muttered softly, cheeks a burning red.

Genji gently moved his hands through his hair, fingers stopping at the ends so he could curl the ends around his fingers. “Can I kiss you again?”

When he saw Angela nod her head, he didn’t waste any time. His lips pressed against hers and kissed her until they both ran out of breath. When Angela finished panting for air, he kissed her again and again until his hunger for her touch started to fill. By the time they finally broke apart, they were both catching their breath, lips red and wet with each other’s spit.

Before Genji could say anything, Angela slapped her hands over her face in embarrassment, laughing happily. Hands muffled her words as she spoke, “You’re such a good kisser I—aaah…”

Genji felt his cheeks heat up at her words, a shaky smile spreading across her lips. “Really? I’ve had quite a bit of practice back in Hanamura—”

Her hands lowered and she smiled back at him. “It shows.” Her hand swiped over her bangs, only to have it swept away by Genji’s. His hand cupped her face, fingers gently rubbing under her jawline. Her eyes closed as she melted into his touch, sighing softly as her hands moving to grip at his wrist.

They sat together in silence, comfortable and calm. The only noise that broke the silence was the crashing of droplets against the rooftops and their soft breathing. Angela seemed to curl into his hand, her lips brushing against his palm. His chest fluttered at the sight. He wondered that this is how Angela must have felt two weeks ago.

He felt her fingers run down his hand and arm, stopping at his elbow before tapering off to land on his thigh. Genji felt something hot coil at around his belly then radiate off his cheeks.

“Will you ever tell me how this came to be? Why your brother did what he did?”

A shudder ran down his spine at the question before relaxing against her one more time. “Not right now.”

“Whenever you’re ready.” She said softly, the compassion sinking right into his bones.

“What did I ever do to deserve your kindness…” He muttered softly, an aching feeling crawling up his chest.  

“You didn’t have to do anything Genji. I wanted to do nothing else but be kind the day I held you in my arms…”

The ache went away, his heart swelling instead until it could burst. His arms moved to wrap around her tightly and pull her close against him. Angela laughed happily as she was yanked closer to him, hands pressing against his upper back. Genji flopped down against her bed, nuzzling his nose under her neck, deciding not to talk anymore. They talked enough. It was time was time for a break.

A smile fell upon his lips as he felt fingers moving to dislodge his helm from its attachments, freeing his head and upper neck. He could only smile wider when he felt Angela’s fingers move through his short hair. It had grown pretty quickly and it was satisfying to leave that part of him behind him. Maybe one day it would dye it green once more. One day.  

The gentle drag of Angela’s hands against his scalp seemed to pull him away from his thoughts. He sighed softly as he closed his eyes, relaxing against her and enjoying the warmth that somehow seeped into him. The subtle rise and fall of her chest seemed to lull him into sleep, Angela soon after, drowsy from his heat and the pitter-pattering of rain.

***

Angela’s eyes slowly fluttered open, glancing around the room as her senses lagged. Her hands remained on Genji’s head and shoulder, feeling soft breath against her collarbone. There was even a cool puddle of drool against her skin, but she didn’t mind in the slightest. Fingers swirling around short stands of hair, enjoying how silky they felt against her skin. Trying not to disturb the other on top of her, she shifted slightly to get a look at his face. Rays of red and orange that filtered in through the blinds softly lit the environment, giving Genji a warm glow to his skin. The hand that rested on his shoulder moved to graze across his scarred cheek, adoration blooming within her.

“You’re so wonderful…” She gently whispered, a small smile forming across her lips. Her thumbs traced over his cheekbones, then down his jaw, tracing over where the alloys start to encase his body.

He felt the other slowly start to shift, his head moving a little to get more comfortable, only to glide his cheek over the pool of drool. Angela had to purse her lips to prevent herself from laughing when the lifted his head to whine, his hand swiping at his face. 

“How do you think I feel?” She laughed as she pushed her fingers through his hair.

The other grumbled as he pulled and curled the corner of her covers to wipe at her chest. “I’m sorry. I don’t usually drool like this.”

“It just means you slept well. I don’t mind. I’ve dealt with much grosser things.” 

He laughed and nodded, knowing it was true. He sat up, Angela following suit and they both stared towards her bedroom window. The scarlet light filtered through, giving them a candlelit glow. Their hands laced together as they watched the colors of the sunset play against the droplets on the window left from the rain.

“It’s pretty out…” Angela muttered softly, her hands squeezing Genji’s.

“Yeah.” He replied, all while looking at her gentle features. 

“Would you like to go for a walk? We’ve been hauled up inside all day.”

“I could use some air.” He said, nodding.

Angela smiled at him warmly, her forehead leaning down to press against his shoulder. “Shall we?” 

A small, amused laugh slipped past Genji’s lips before he nodded once more before lifting himself off the bed, pulling Angela along with him. The both of them laughed softly when the doctor stumbled over her feet. She looked up at Genji with a small, awkward smile, bangs falling to cover her face. Genji move his hand to brush them back into place, smiling back at her.

“Lead the way, Angela.”

***

Fingers brushed over soaked leaves and petals as they walked through the woods of the country. The air smelt of damp earth, floral and mossy notes floating through it too. The ground beneath them squelched with each step, Angela humming softly as she led Genji through the pine with a tight grip on her hand. His eyes scanned each tree, picking out moss and lichen, even heads of mushrooms poking from the moist dirt. Cool drops of water feel from the leaves above, hitting his nose, cheeks and lips, melting away the lingering stress he felt. He tilted his head down to smile before he spoke once more.

“The forest is beautiful. Are you taking me anywhere special?”

She hummed before she looked back at him. “Not in particular. I was looking for something. A type of flower.”

“Oh?” He tilted his head curiously, walking closer by her side as he looked around for something he didn’t know what to look for.

She smiled softly as she squeezed his hand. “We’re getting close I can feel it.” 

The other laughed softly as he continued to follow Angela, enjoying the scenery. Enjoying the sight of her calm and smiling. She usually looked so tired. Frantic and stressed to finish her work before it could pile up and fall on top of her. He wanted her to sleep more. Smile more.

He squeezed her hand at the realization that she must feel this way about him too.  

Her pace slowed before she finally came to a stop, feet stomping against the wet ground in excitement. “I found them.” Lithe fingers traced over delicate pink and white flowers, her turning to face Genji. “Aren’t they pretty?”

A sweet scent hit his nostrils, thankful it wasn’t anything strong and sickly. “It smells nice.”

“They’re called honeysuckle.” Her fingers wrapped around a flower and pulled it from its stem, turning it over and pressing the end against the lips, sucking ever so slightly. Genji watched her in fascination, getting an itching feeling to do the same, plucking a flower from the stem.

His mouth from still healing from modifications, but it has been a few weeks so it couldn’t hurt to give it another try. He placed the narrow opening between his lips, feeling a strange wetness before running his tongue over it, tasting the sweetness of what could only be the nectar. Even knowing that his sense of taste wasn’t as strong as it used to be, the floral sweetness relaxed him, bringing back memories that were hard to deal with.

His head turned to look at Angela, watching her pluck flower by flower to lick at the small amount of nectar.

A laugh moved past his lips, bringing her attention onto him again, caught with a flower between her mouth and fingers.

“You really seem to like those flowers.”

She pulled the soft petals away and she laughed, looking down at the ground. “When I was little my mom and I used to go out into the garden and pick as many as we could. She was the one that showed me that I suck at the ends like that. She always told me that they tasted best after the rain—I thought we could go together…”

“Angela…” His brows furrowed a little as he stared at her, seeing the sad smile that stretched her lips.

“It’s okay Genji. I’m fine. I really wanted to share that with you.”

He swallowed, discarding the worn flower to the ground, his hand moving to graze across her cheek before tilting her head up. “Thank you for telling me.”

She smiled more and leaned into his touch. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t tell you, Genji.”

A bloom of warmth burst throughout his chest, rising to his cheeks. He let out a small huff as he smiled at her. “You know…the taste it—it makes me think of home. It’s much more feint, but I remember my mother. When I couldn’t sleep, she would make me some tea. I may have been eight or nine at the time. But it was a nice herbal tea. I was never much for tea but it was so easy to drink with her. It calmed me when I was restless,” a small sigh, “I miss her.”

“She sounds like a wonderful mother, Genji.”

There was a silence between them before he spoke again, a tightness in his throat. “She was.”

“Oh Genji…” Angela moved to pull him into a hug, squeezing him tightly.

He sighed as he rested his hand on her upper back. “I was young when she passed. Much like you were. But I still had my dad and brother.”

“Things must have changed when she died…” 

The warmth from his body drained at the statement. He simply nodded, not sure whether to push her away or hold her tighter.

“You don’t have to say anymore.” Angela muttered against him. She always did know how to read the mood.

Genji thanked her quietly, his hand moving through her locks. He appreciated the way she never pried. It was easy to be around Angela. Easy to talk to her. The noises of the forest echoed into their ears. Crickets cheeping and buzzing of beetles, even some distant howling. Hues of blues and dark purples dominated the sky as muted oranges slipped down the horizon line. Genji was snapped out of gazing to find Angela pulling him along through the vegetation. Fireflies flew out of hiding, glowing yellow and green. Genji’s eyes grew wide as he stopped and watched the lightning bugs light up the woods. Angela continued to pulled him along through the lush wood, smiling at him happily. They passed by streams and shamrocks before stepping over a large root or two, finding them stepping out of the forest.

A mild breeze passed through the both of them as they looking down towards the base of Overwatch. Genji noticed he was much farther from the headquarters now, then before. Angela sure knew the forest well to lead them to a view like this.

“It’s quiet up here. It’s nice.” He squeezes her hand as he sighed, looking towards her with a small smile. “You should take me up here more.”

“Really?” She exclaimed, bouncing closer to him with a happy smile.

He nodded at her, smiling softly. “Yes.” He paused for a moment and looked at her, eyebrows drawing together as he gathered courage to speak what was on his mind.

“I’m really glad we talked earlier. It helped a lot.”

“Really…?” She asked, somewhere just under a whisper.

He nodded again and smiled, his hand moving through her hair. “Yes..! And I… I care about you so much. Can we—have more talks like that?”

Angela felt her face flush as she watched Genji continue to fumble over his words, finally silencing him with a kiss to his lips. She could feel surprise against her, before melting into her arms and kissing her back. It lasted a few more moments before they pulled away, Genji letting out a shy flustered laugh.

“That’s a yes...yes?”

“Yes…” She laughed happily, resting her cheek against his shoulder, looking out to the open, the base catching her eyes. “We should head back to the base.”

“Good idea.”

***

Feint, muddy foot prints led straight to them along the pristine floors. Angela couldn’t help but feel guilt eating away at her because of it, but she told them countless times to leave a mat at the entrances. Especially with agents like Jesse and Gabe. They were walking hand in hand, only to feel Genji let go when footsteps loud stomping was heard through the halls.

“Angela!! Genji! Y’all are back!”

The cyborg turned to look behind their shoulders only to see Jesse running towards them, pushing right in between the both of them. His arms hooked around their shoulders, hugging them close to his chest.

“Where have ya guys been? I wanted to hang out but I checked both of yer rooms and even yer lab Angie, just in case you were workin’…but nuthin’!”

She laughed happily as she moved her hand to pat his chest. “Well—”

“Angela and I were having some time to ourselves. Sorry we did not include you.”

Heat rose up on her cheeks as she looked back at Genji while Jesse’s lips curled into a small devious smirk.

“Oh, reaaaaally?”

The red on her cheeks only darkened as she pressed the palms of her hands to her face, covering her eyes as she whined. “Jessseeee…donnnn’t...please.”

Genji’s deep eyes glanced between the both of them, feeling his own ears heat up.

“Ya know, Ang had a crush on ya for the longest tiHYME—” A swift smack to the stomach from an otherwise delicate hand shut him up quickly.

“ _Jesse._ ”

“No, no. Tell me.” A small smirk rested on the cyborg’s lips as they continued to walk down the hall. “I’d like to know.”

“W-Well—” The big mouthed cowboy cleared his throat. “Well, join me and Ang for a snack and I’ll tell all.”

The smaller blond whined as she was pulled along to the kitchen, knowing it was going to a be a long night of male comradery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who updated!! Spring break works wonders. Hope you like it guys!!!
> 
> I decided to save Jesse and Genji until the next chapter, I thought it'd be fun for Gabe to join in too so they can all tease Angie together. :) 
> 
> Let me know what you all think too.  
> Oh also long time readers: I changed chapter 3 so if you haven't read it yet, go for it! I think it's a lot better.


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